Lost Innocent World
by Kerberos314
Summary: How, and for what reason, were we brought here? I almost wish it was my fate, to know that I am here for a reason. But here in this strange world, cause and reason seem disjointed. Can we ever turn back the clock? Can we ever go home? We have started something and are forever more critical pieces in its function. We are the gears which don't mesh, but the machine moves on.
1. Other Side of Rainbow

**Ok, I know lots of people just want to get on with the story, so the only thing here will be this introduction and disclaimer. If you are some kind of weirdo and want to read the author's note, just skip to the bottom. I doubt it will answer any of your questions about the story, but tough. It is a diatribe, not an apology. But I appreciate you at least giving my story a try, I hope you enjoy!**

 **I just want to thank all of the other writers out there who inspired me, from those that I took directly from, I will try to give credit where credit is due, but really, I have read just about all of the decent stories on this subject, so it can sometimes be hard for me to ID exactly where an idea came from. I will however, single out Myevltwin and their awesome story ****Brave New World** **, also in the Naruto x RWBY crossover genre, from which I draw extensively. Whoever you are, I hope you keep going and if at some point you find yourself reading my story and find something to fault, please let me know.**

 **Also, I don't really know why this is necessary, but I don't own Naruto or RWBY. I own many thing in the real world, and my cats own me, so if I owned either of them, that would mean that cats would be in charge of an animated series, and that would be just silly. Unless it were big cats. You know, like a puma.**

* * *

Ice blue eyes stared piercingly with equal parts resentment and conviction across the sterile hallway, past the unyielding metal bars to the recumbent silhouette, unflinching on the plastic-coated parody of a mattress. The mattress, along with an unapologetic stainless accommodation perched in the opposite corner and a Spartan basin with neither mirror nor hot water being the only in-organic inhabitants of the closet-sized enclosure housing the aloof target of the vindictive gaze.

Sitting cross-legged on an identically-uncomfortable sleeping pad fixed in a mirrored alcove, also sequestered behind an unbiased portcullis perched the owner of that fixated stare. The paella of conflicting thoughts having been recently re-heated and tossed upon waking, the complex bouquet of emotions manifesting themselves on his visage. This was perhaps an all too familiar meal shared between the two incarcerated persons, though this particular batch added herbs as of yet unidentified and inarguably more bitter than any yet served.

The question now, however, was if that surface veneer yet contained the bitterness of a poison that would kill their tenuous friendship forever.

The consternated owner of the twin abysses digested the thickness of the tension, a viscous, salty, broth that permeated the silence in that dimly illuminated wing where they were they only two heartbeats.

A single eyelid twitched over one of the cerulean orbs. His stomach minutely betrayed the solemnity of the one-sided contest as it loosed an apologetic growl. The stomach's owner could feed his desires now with answers. Alas, his mortality protested the conviction to stay angry without sustenance.

Continuing to ignore, however, his bodily discomforts, the active observer allowed the seemingly one-sided discord to continue for a short eternity more before the unbearable famine for contestations of his darker emotions exceeded the feeble vindictiveness he had been brewing since he woke.

"Why?" The question was always there and now had only been flipped to reveal color and suit on the table. The blood-red heart being torn to pieces by the continuing silence of the other party.

The reclined figure made no indication that he heard the near-silent vocalization, nor that he was even conscious in the dim florescent light with his un-washed raven head propped slightly on top of his interlaced hands as his lidded eyes faced the granite colored concrete ceiling. Despite feigning unconsciousness, the mind of the recalcitrant youth was moving as fast as it did in adrenaline fueled combat. Hundreds of data points materializing from the depths of drug-induced haze flashed in disconnected coordination, pertaining not only to the current predicament at hand, but the as of yet unanswered plea for reason. Even had he been inclined to answer his interrogator, he realized mutely that he himself did not have a satisfactory answer.

While quiet storms raged on either side of the aisle, seconds chained to minutes dragged through the muck of the day without measurable time. No window was available for judging the time of day, nor number of days elapsed since they had found themselves incarcerated in an anonymous prison centered in the middle of city without a name, in a land without a map.

The black-haired youth wondered minutely if either of them would even know the scope of the globe if they ever emerged from their incarceration.

Undeterred by the lack of response from his counterpart, the original speaker vocalized his question again.

"Why... Sasuke?"

The implied accusation hung in the air for a few heartbeats longer before another voice materialized from the adjacent end of the stark hallway.

"Indeed, I too would like to know, why?" The unexpected voice, a few octaves lower than either of the two youths present injected itself into the monotonal discourse, a slight twinge of humor inflecting the termination.

Eyelids fractured minutely to a core of molten onyx. Accusatory icy spheres shaded by a bramble of dirty blond gained a previously dormant alertness and cut leftward to the unnaturally illuminated hallway as the echoes of the novel voice fell dead in the corners of the enclose space. The two previous occupants did not provoke the interrupted stillness with either response nor breath, as if afraid to interrupt the illusion now being introduced.

The spectral voice was trailed now by the rhythmic pattering of leather-soled shoes interspersed by the syncopated tapping of a metal-tipped cane on the barren concrete floor as the presumed owner of said voice continued to approach the two in their stations.

The black limb of the cane peaked out from the corner of their shared vision like a cabaret dancer's leg from the velvet curtain as the body of the obviously masculine figure soon followed. Dressed in an acutely casual green suit, the previously spectral speaker materialized in the no-man's land between their two cells and casually set down a three-legged stool in the more-or-less middle of the shared hallway. He placed himself naturally in the wooden seat of the stool and rested his interlaced fingers on the spherical head of the cane now situated front and center.

"The who… well, that's fairly obvious, wouldn't you say?" Amber eyes twinkled amusedly over dark lenses perched at the end of his nose at the presentation of this rhetorical. "And how, furthermore what…." the speaker continued amidst the growing apprehension directed form the listeners. "….hardly matters at this point." Seemingly unaffected by this statement, the two young prisoners listened on, perhaps slightly relieved that they did not have to expound this information.

"So then…" The man lifted a hand to cup his chin in a pensive, yet continuing levity. "…why?"

Both sets of eyes were steeled as no answer from either seemed forthcoming. The only pair actively observing the speaker narrowed slightly in no amount of concealed distrust. Silence continued to be the only response.

Seemingly unfazed by the duo's lack of explanation, the man prodded further into the numbing pool. "The only reason you two are here, apart from the property damage you caused, is because we don't know if we can trust you not to do it again. As I said, the who, what and how, don't matter, we see any number of people do extraordinary things on a daily basis. And from observers of the fight, we know that neither of you were targeting anyone other than each other. Personal matters aside, I simply need to be able to assure the ones responsible for public safety that an incident such as this won't happen again." An amused twitch of a smile. "Or, that the damage is at least confined to an un-inhabited area."

Though seemingly innocent and void of ulterior motive, distrust and apprehension still held their tongues. In their vicarious experience, information presented willingly could conceivably cost the lives of comrades.

However, the temptation to reach out and grasp at the offered hand proved too great after a lifetime and now an eternity devoid of human interaction. The shabbily Aryan teen who had presented the majority of humanoid response up to this point wetted his parched lips with his tongue before he replied in stumbling and reticent honesty.

"He…. left."

The suited man shifted slightly in his procured seat towards the promise of productive conversation and the teen's opposite number flinched in restrained displeasure at the not un-true statement.

"He… abandoned the village…. where we came from. We…. my team and I were sent to retrieve him, to bring him back." Those same icy blue spheres gazed out past the seated man to the occupant in the other dimly lit cell. This time, pain, hurt betrayal, dominated the surface of that cold stare.

The man waited for further explanation, when none seemed forthcoming he spoke again. "I see. However," He shifted more towards the blond seated cross-legged and appraised him with his own penetrating stare from behind the dark glasses. ", that does not entirely explain things. Why is it that you were trying to bring him back?"

"I agree." Both the blond-haired teen and the man seated on his stool swiveled to the recently silent observer. "Why were you trying to bring me back, eh, Naruto?" The now named Naruto narrowed his eyes at this. The boy who had until now been silent and still on the travesty of the bed sat up on his elbows, his smoldering gaze reaching out across the divide between them. Bored malice engaged the depths of emotion in his opposites returned gaze.

"…You should have been trying to kill me."

Both the man and boy flinched at this callous declaration.

The man now playing mediator coughed into his hand to alleviate the growing tension and draw attention to himself. "That's not quite what I meant. I do not know where you come from, nor do I particularly need to know." A pascal or two was alleviated form the pressure that was continuing to build at this statement. No potentially damaging information in regards to their home and its habitants needed to be revealed. "However, we cannot have two admittedly skilled youths such as yourselves causing an unneeded incident in the middle of a populated city center. I do not know how it works where you two come from, however in this city, in the Kingdom of Vale, and indeed in the majority of the Kingdoms populated by humans, we are united in the cause of humanity. We cannot afford to try this hard-won peace that now unites us against the creatures of Grimm."

Both boys listened silently to this rather startling new information. This seemingly off-handed statement, devoid of any markers of deception, would indicate a vastly different world than the one from which they originated. Regardless of the nature of these aforementioned creatures, as well as the history of how this situation came to be, the concept of a united humanity was novel, heartening, and admittedly a little frightening to two wayward spirits who had been raised in a country constantly besieged by the threat of competing nations. This land of peace among mankind could very well mean that their jobs, their kind, their ambitions and way of life, could be superfluous.

Who needed warriors when humanity worked in concert?

Unalerted to the internal turmoil now sewing its seeds in his two listeners, the man in the green suit continued. "However, unlike several of my contemporaries now wishing for further measures to be taken against you two, I do not believe that any ill-intent was intended by your own little conflict." A subtle smile wormed its way onto his features as he gazed ahead at some distant object. "It was simply a disagreement between two rambunctious youths that got a little out of hand, isn't that right?"

Both sets of eyes, onyx and azure beset the man quizzically. Where was he going with this? They were obviously prisoners, wouldn't he then try to extract some information from them?

"I believe that such skill as you two exhibited simply needs direction, purpose. It just so happens that I am frequent shepherd of such wayward youths such as yourselves. You see, my name is Professor Ozpin, and I am headmaster at Beacon, a school where we mold the talents of gifted fighters like the two of you. Admittedly usually these students are a few years older than the two of you seem to be, however with that little… demonstration you presented in the city center, I can see that the two of you are talented beyond your years. So, that is why, I would like to offer the two of you a place, as students at my academy."

The two boys stared incredulously at the man now looking between them with a self-assured smile. Both sets of gears slipping in their heads, trying to get up to speed and avoid any pitfalls this conversation which had taken a hairpin turn might conceal.

A reflexive protestation was about to burst from the more verbal of the two, rejecting the offer in regards to a sense of fealty towards his home town, when the now named Ozpin preempted the outburst with a placating response. "I am not asking you to give up any previous loyalties. I will not force you to do anything that goes against your previous training our sense of integrity. I am simply requesting that for the interim while you are here in our Kingdom, that you direct your energies into honing your skills and protecting this land while we host you. I think that that is the least you two could do, considering the mess you made downtown."

Any objection forthcoming was silenced as both parties, one more so than the other, looked down in sheepish embarrassment.

"Anyhow," Ozpin began as he lifted himself from his seat and began to retreat from the sequestered party. "I just hate to see such talent go to waste. That, and I think it would be good for the other students to have a little bit of competition, motivating to have someone younger than themselves who are at such a level of capability."

His visage disappeared from their sight as the retreating taps of cane and shoes echoes once more in the chamber. The turmoil of emotion that he left behind began to manifest in the silent discord between Brown and Blue. Both were reluctant to take any such largesse from a stranger as… strange as the one they just encountered.

Any further bending towards refusal was held at bay by the disembodied voice coming from the end of the hallway.

"Just consider it. If you don't, I find it highly unlikely that you two will be getting out of here any time soon. I'll come by tomorrow. Until then, Naruto, Sasuke."

Once more alone to their own devices, the two once again dared not interrupt the silence that blanketed them. Though there were no fewer emotions contained in the penetrating stares reflected across the darkness, and confusion just as ambient, the two maelstroms of discord were at last not rotating in opposition, and were instead at a non-linear congruence. A convergence of two forces of nature orbiting around a single objective, not yet in concert, but no longer at loggerhead.

God help this world if the two would come together.

* * *

 **Wow, so you are actually made it and are reading this huh? Weird. Don't you have something better to do, like, go outside or read an actual book? Kidding. Thanks for sticking with me so far, I hope to see you at the end of this.  
**

 **And I mean that, I really hope that I will continue to update this story until it has an end. Luckily, I do not have much of a deadline right now, because RWBY is ongoing, but I still wanted to get a good chunk done before I decided to post this story, as a means to both motivate and pace myself. So for those of you who actually read all 19 chapters that will be posted en mass here and wonder why there are no other author's notes, review responses, etc, well, hopefully this explains it. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't just going to wimp out halfway through and just drop this experiment like so many other things I have done in my life. I wanted to actually commit to something, because frankly, this writing is mainly for my own benefit.**

 **Regardless, I am posting this here, because well, I want other people to enjoy it. Creations are made to be shared. I know it isn't perfect. This is FF. If you have comments, criticisms, or if you genuinely like the story, I would like to know. I am socially-awkward in many ways, but I am still human and we like to be appreciated. I am not naive enough to request something like 'no flames please'. This is the internet, and thus inevitable that there will be at least a half-dozen idiots whose only skill seems to be devaluing other people's work in the most infantile expressions and degradation of the English language (just making a generalization here, I know many idiots in many other languages).**

 **So please emote. Critique. Laugh. Cry. Eat a tub of ice cream while sitting curled up in front of a fire. Pleasure yourself with a spatula while listening to punk rock. I won't judge. Do whatever it is you do to make yourself comfortable while enjoying a good read. Or click that back button right now. I don't really care.**

 **For those of you who stuck with me so far, thanks, and I will see you later.**


	2. Immigrant Punk

Despite the Rubegoldbergian procession of his emotional state over the past week, Naruto couldn't help but exude a genuine sense of singular wonderment at their means of transport. As he gazed out of the triple micro-laminate windows to the urban sprawl, the likes of which did not exist in his own home, nor even in his wildest imaginations, perilously far below, he expressed his enchantment with the whole situation.

"Whoooah! This is so cool! Eh, Sasuke?" Turning towards his partner in crime as he posited his inquiry, he had to hold back a slight scowl as he received a non-committal grunt.

"Hm."

That was… an improvement? Despite being borderline dismissal in tone, the single shift of the concluding consonant from a disparaging "n" to a moderately more accommodating "m", seemed to be overall a step towards further communication.

Considering that prior to their forced separation, conversation between the two had been liberally interspersed with near-homicidal acts, the monosyllabic response was at the very least an appreciated attempt at being cordial. In fact, the brief snippets of conversation elicited from the ever-gloomy avenger, despite being no more than two consecutive sentences, contained surprisingly little malice or open hostility.

Ever since they had been released and later debriefed by their mysterious benefactor, Ozpin, Sasuke had been in a non-aggressive detachment, scarcely reacting to Naruto's or Ozpin's attempts at a discourse that lasted longer than the time it took for Naruto to down his first bowl of Ramen after being released from their Spartan accommodations. Even deliberate attempts on Naruto's part to elicit any kind of reaction, be it disgust, displeasure, or derision at his impromptu antics had thus far proved fruitless.

This not unaccustomed aloof demeanor was however, markedly different than the flavor encountered back in their home village. Whereas there, the prodigy had exhibited contempt, annoyance, and an overall air of superiority, now all that remained in the briefly interrupted silence was a certain detachment. A distraction with which all probing seemed to be administered on a numb conscience.

In a way, it was quite worrying to Naruto. Even during their confrontation at the Valley of the End, Sasuke had exhibited his usual animosity filled drive to gain power, power he needed to confront his brother whose sole existence was the bane of Sasuke's life and the source of his eternal ambition. That hate, that bitterness and sorrow, Naruto could deal with. He knew those feelings himself, and so he knew how to react to their display. He could work with them. This blank slate was disconcerting.

He sighed and turned back to look at the cityscape and his own reflection in the high-tech glass. In a way, he could understand Sasuke a little. Their current situation was not ideal. Ignoring their present difficulties in interpersonal relationship, they had no idea where they were relative to their hometown. The land of fire could be equally distant in any direction, and as more and more of this world unfolded in front of them it became increasingly obvious that that distance was incalculably vast. They were cut off from their friends, from everyone they knew really, with no support and most importantly no direction.

Naruto at the very least had his unwavering conviction. He **would** find his way back home, and he **would** bring his friend back with him, even if he had to break every bone in his body. Until then, Ozpin had offered them the most lucrative and sensible course of action. They would attend his school where they would further their combat abilities, and perhaps during the course of their studies (he shuddered at the blasphemous thought) they would carry out a few missions to support this human population's struggle against the mysterious and bloodthirsty creatures of Grimm.

Naruto recalled the previous day's enlightening debriefing.

 _They had been cautiously released form their cells, two armored soldiers warily guarding their egress, lest they try and make a run for it or at first chance available be at the other's throat again. Either of those outcomes would be avoided at all cost. Anyone who had seen the aftermath of their bout did not want to be a bystander anywhere within a hundred kilometers of their arena._

 _Ozpin met them in an adjacent anteroom, at his side a stoic blonde woman, less than half a head as tall as the Professor, expressing a distinctly authoritarian vibe exemplified further by her statuesque presentation in her white blouse and uncaring black skirt, as well as her insensitive green-eyed stare appraising them like potentially expired milk from behind wire-rimmed glasses._

 _A slight gulp formed in Naruto's throat as he examined his track record with serious blonde women in positions of authority thus far. The sense of familiar was vastly overruled by a sense of dread._

" _Naruto, Sasuke it is good to see you up and about." Ozpin greeted, seemingly oblivious to the effect his right hand was having on the blond troublemaker. "This is Glynda Goodwitch, and she is my assistant principle at Beacon Academy. Should I not be available, you are more than welcome to call upon her to assist you in any instances as you are adjusting to the way we do things around here." Glynda gave a shallow nod of acknowledgment, doing nothing to alleviate the stern and guarded demeaner._

" _Now I guess before we have you integrate with the rest of the students, it is best if we bring you up to speed with the current state of affairs." Thus Ozpin proceeded to illuminate the situation the two wayward ninja now found themselves in, with occasional interjections from Glynda when it appeared that Ozpin's explanation was not concise or complete enough for the two youths, or rather youth, to comprehend. It was occasionally necessary to expand on seemingly simple concepts, to them at least. It started to become apparent that the inexplicable appearance of the two in the middle of downtown Vale had quite literally been as if they had been dropped in from an alien world._

 _They learned of hunters and huntresses, of the different creatures of Grimm that roamed the world outside of the walls of Vale, of the other species that co-inhabited their kingdoms as well as the reader-digest version of the current political climate. All of it was quite a bit of information to take in at one time, especially for Naruto who had never been all that good at being an auditory learner. Nevertheless, having heard these terms would illicit some sense of recall whenever they were uttered, and so background would be further illuminated as their studies continued and their interactions with the other students unfolded._

 _After their crash-course in the workings of Remnant, the two were allowed to shower and expunge the accumulated grunge that had been building up since they had been incarcerated after the intensive care had seen them fit to be transported. They were given their first meal as free people, vaguely recognizable and yet uninspiring meat with accompanying vegetables and rice. It was none the less devoured by the then ravenous boys._

 _What followed, however, was akin to Christmas morning for Naruto, had he any concept of the western tradition. They were led to an otherwise unassuming chamber with four large bins piled to the brim with gently used clothes of random assortment. Ozpin had explained that they were slated to be donated to the orphanage, but that they had been diverted on route to the local jail so that the two previous inmates could be garbed in something less conspicuous than the black and white striped overalls that had been provided in their cells after waking._

 _Following the innocently ecstatic Naruto in his dive into the disturbingly large containers, Sasuke half-heartedly perused the tailings that were being expunged from the container's depth by Naruto's unique attempt at apparel spelunking._

 _Ozpin and Glynda watched on in restrained silence. The latter with a barely withheld cocktail of mirth and annoyance at the progressively increasing mess, and the former smiling ever so sorrowfully at the abject pleasure expressed by the youthful blond who clearly had to this point never received such a windfall of munificence and luck._

Thus, in the wee hours of the following morning, the two were whisked off with what little survived their previous confrontations as well as the semi-new clothes on their back and lead to what was described to them as "docks", which were unlike any such place name that the two had seen before, being that occupied under the transparent semi-open awning were three vehicles that not only looked precariously un-seaworthy, but far out of their element as the building itself was located quite a distance away from any significant body of water.

Whereupon they were herded into one craft seemingly selected at random, their caretakers disappearing after a moment of inattentiveness.

If one were able to elicit any sort of cohesive response form the subdued Sasuke Uchiha, he might just have admitted to some amount of surprise and incredulity when the vehicle, then thoroughly filled with passengers, all suspiciously youthful and fit, lurched upwards form its birth and into the clear blue sky that had broken hours earlier from the pre-dawn haze which had greeted their initial arrival.

Initial surprise soon wore off, and given their personal history of missions conducted while members of the infamous team seven, it was not too much of a stretch to become accustomed to such mode of travel, and the whole exercise had quickly become monotonous.

At least, it was already to the brooding Uchiha. Naruto was still his usual exuberant self, awestruck ogling the vast differences between their world enshrouded by woods and solitude and this metropolis with a burgeoning population bordering on the limit of sustainability.

Not to say that Sasuke was not actively observing his vastly different change in scenery. Despite being deep in pensive thought, he was actively, yet subtly observing their fellow passengers, analyzing the frequency with which any one of them moved with a nonchalance that betrayed a certain proclivity towards instantaneous action. While not trained warriors such as themselves, they were no neophytes to armed combat.

Sasuke's eyes caught sight of a tall red-head standing by herself near the front. Ignoring the clearly visible collapsed weapon sheathed on her lower back, she was no less unassuming to the trained eye of the Sharingan user, with or without his family's bloodline. Her already shapely figure belied the corded muscle that surfaced for the briefest of moments when she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. He caught her ears twitching now and then in perhaps un-conscious alertness to her surroundings. Releasing the guard railing to brush back an obstinate strand of hair, his superior vision caught sight of the heavy callouses on her palm, a sure a sign as any of dedicated practice and training with a ranged weapon.

Just where were they going with a whole ship full of potential adversaries? Had they been tricked into some kind of tournament where the contestants battled for some sick pleasure of the masses for bloodlust? It wouldn't be the first time. Any one of these people, though they might not exude the sheer confidence and killer presence that the two had encountered even on their very first mission outside the borders of their village when they faced the Demon of the Bloody Mist and his cohort, Sasuke was aware that looks could be deceiving. It was on that very same mission that he learned that fact, and that there would always be someone out there that's faster, stronger, better than you no matter what they looked like. The collective group assembled here could house any number of cold blooded killers. Anyone could be a threat to either him or Naruto and their chance at surviving in this bizarre mirror-world.

"Urpfhg! Look out, going to hurl!"

A slightly older blond haired boy pushed passed Sasuke on a desperate mission to reach a waste-bin or any sort of unimportant container before the contents of his stomach finished their rebellion.

Sasuke's eye twitched, and had he been in any mood, or any other person for that matter, he might have cracked a smile at his own private irony.

But such an action was beneath the training instilled in him. He would leave any such response of that nature to his more liberal companion.

"Ha, ha ha ha ha! Geeze! Someone couldn't handle the pressure, huh?" Naruto guffawed at the retreating figure that had shoved his way between the two. "Probably should have skipped breakfast, eh, Sasuke?" Naruto gibed, recalling their own unfortunate initiation in which the same advice had been given, but his companion was not to be found as Naruto glanced back to his previous location.

"Eh?! Sasuke? Where'd you go?"

Naruto's frantic search for his wayward teammate drew his attention away from the holographic image of Glynda Goodwitch as it appeared on the forward bulkhead, delivering a short prep-talk prior to landing. He also paid no heed to any of the other passengers or their conversations as he darted around them in order to locate the missing raven-haired teen.

"Don't worry Ruby, I'm sure you'll do just fine. I'm sure you'll make all kinds of friends here." Comforting words spoken by a well-endowed blond to a petite girl in a red hood as she rested her hand on the listener's shoulder. The younger girl sighed, bowing her own raven locks and closing her uniquely silver in acknowledgment. "Yeah, you're right Yang. I'm just nervous, I don't know anyone here. I just feel out of place. All of my friends are back at Signal, and everyone here is so old." The girl, Ruby, replied to the one who had originally spoken.

The blond Yang twitched in slight annoyance at the comment. "What do you mean old?" Eyes wide at her faux pas, Ruby stammered to correct her potentially fatal mistake, hands up in inadequate defense against the potentially raging teen. "I-I-I- mean, older! Yeah, that's it! Every one here is so much **older** than me! I mean that everyone is ahead of me, and, um, they might not think I deserve to be here?"

Quickly shifting gears and subduing the incipient inferno, Yang threw her arms around Ruby. "Eh, don't worry about that Rube! If anyone's mean to you, big sister Yang will set them strait!" Still chuckling nervously at the averted disaster and subsequent bi-polar episode, Ruby silently hoped that her older sister was right.

Four years would be a long time to not have friends.

Despite having not intentionally ditched his blond companion, Sasuke was none the less grateful for the moment or two's respite from his antics, and the accompanying ability to slink stealthily among their potential competitors and garner a more complete picture of just what they were facing.

A moment or two later, however, he was invariably distracted by the pathetic retching of the other blond male that had brusquely inserted himself between him and his teammate. Sighing at his own seemingly neurotic inability to stay away from troublesome blonds, he quietly made his way towards the back of the craft where next to the restrooms the aforementioned was neck deep in a trash bin recessed into the hull.

"Ughhhh…" The older blond boy retracted his head from the receptacle and with a small look of surprise noticed the hand extended to him proffering a few paper-wrapped lozenges.

"Here." The voice of the dark-haired boy connected with the hand proclaimed. "They're just ginger candies. The ginger should help with your stomach, and sucking on them will take your mind off the queasy feeling." It was part of his ordinarily untouched emergency rations that he kept in his utility pouch which was now returned. Apart from the condensed ration bars and soldier pills, it was prudent to keep a stash of hard candies as a minor energy booster when the situation called for it. Not having a proclivity for overly-sweet confections, Sasuke preferred the slightly spicy taste of the ginger, which also seemed to heighten his alertness when on extended missions.

"Uhhh… thanks." The previously sick boy dubiously accepted the minor gift.

"Uchiha, Sasuke."

"Jaune, Arc." He replied after a moment's hesitation.

Sasuke grunted in acknowledgment of the reciprocated greeting. Jaune was feeling more than just a tad embarrassed at his involuntary display, and was about to express as much when Sasuke interrupted.

"It happens to everyone." He half lied. He in fact recalled an instance where one of his superiors, one Might Guy, had suffered from a similar infliction. Quite how the normally jovial Jonin had managed to become seasick when his normal routine involved multiple stomach-jarring spins and twists was beyond Sasuke's comprehension, but then again, so was the rest of Guy.

Jaune had by this point tentatively unwrapped one of the confections and put it in his mouth, the homeopathic effects of the ginger already doing him some good, if only as a placebo. He was disarmed at the clipped tone and contradictory benevolent gesture of the young boy. The professed tone was clearly rife with no small amount of annoyance and dismissal, yet his actions expressed none of this as he sought to aid the ailing young man.

Coupled with the sheer strangeness of a boy who was clearly a few years younger than himself, Jaune was needless to say, confused.

"So, uh, are you here to attend Beacon?" Jaune questioned. A half hearted grunt of affirmation and a nod was the only response he got. "I don't mean to be rude, or anything, but aren't you a little bit young to be attending Beacon?" A dead-pan stare was the only response elicited as Jaune was forced to realize that it had been his head in the trash not moments before. Coupled with his own not-quit legitimate entry into the prestigious academy, he was hardly one to talk.

"Eh, he, he, he…." Jaune trailed off.

Scanning the room defensively, Sasuke probed the now vulnerable young man. "What about you? You think we have to worry about any of the people here?"

Jaune was caught slightly off-guard at the question. Truly, he didn't know much about any of the other students, or even what sort of challenges they would be facing in the near future, but he was a little off-put at the defensive nature of the question.

"Well, I'm afraid that I don't know much about what the courses at school are going to be like." Jaune replied truthfully. "And I don't know too many people here. None of them, uh, attended the same school as me." A half-truth this time, as he danced around the subject of entry into the academy.

A bit of red, caught his eye, however, and he gestured towards the front of the ship. "I know her, though. That's Pyrrha Nikos. She's pretty famous. They call her the Untouchable Woman. She is even on the cover of a cereal box."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes on the Athenian red-head. Good. His instincts had not betrayed him. He had assessed her thus far as the most likely challenger on the ship.

"That so?" He would look forward to comparing himself to the warriors of this world. While he had been thwarted in his attempts to garner strength by defecting to the traitorous Orochimaru, he knew he could not afford to languish in idleness in this world. He would need to challenge himself and become stronger, whether or not Naruto was up to the challenge, he would gain some advantage out of their forced exile.

Jaune looked on awkwardly at the intensive stare of the avenger as he was lost in his own internal monologue. He had no idea what to make of the serious little warrior, and was more than a little off-put at the thought of a whole made of such individuals so intensely dedicated to combat.

He gulped, nearly swallowing what remained of his ginger candy. Just what had he gotten himself into?

Upon landing, Naruto had still not managed to locate his compatriot. As the herd of students disembarked down the loading ramp and towards the towering silhouette of the academy, Naruto scanned the crowd for any trace of the duck-shaped hair of his friend.

"Eeeeeehhhh, where did he go?" Naruto was more than a little disappointed. How was he ever going to bring Sasuke back to Konohagakure if he couldn't even find him in plain sight?

Sighing in resignation, he was resolved to locate him once they had convened later on in the hall for Ozpin's speech, which had been mentioned to them before departing their previous accommodations.

"Yang! Wait! Where did you go?!"

Naruto was nearly knocked off his feet as a red and black blur nearly bowled him over from behind. Recovering quickly, he located the disturbance as a girl a few years older than himself shot passed him and looked around in desperation for a person that she had clearly lost sight of. Naruto scratched the back of his head in recognition of the similar conundrum before his indignation at nearly becoming roadkill overrode that sense of camaraderie.

"Hey! Red! Watch where you're going!"

Ruby turned towards her accuser and quickly rushed over to apologize.

"I'm so sorry!" She pleaded with the blond boy. "I'm just looking for my sister. Have you seen a blond girl about this high, that looks kind of like this?" Naruto watched on with a sense of familiarity as the girl mimed a voluptuous figure that was eerily reminiscent of the sort that his master, Jiraiya, made a habit of lusting after.

"Uhhhh, no, sorry, I haven't seen her. Would've remembered someone like that…" Naruto uttered the last part under his breath. "Hey! I'm looking for someone as well. Have you seen a guy about my height, with a black shirt and dark hair shaped like a duck's butt?"

Ruby sighed in disappointment and shook her head in the negative. "No, I'm sorry, I've been looking or my sister, so I wasn't really paying attention. I was just talking to her one minute, and the next she rushed off to hang out with her friends." Bowing her head in defeat before she perked up noticeably when a thought manifested itself to her. "Hey! Since our friends are both lost, do you want to be friends?"

Hesitant slightly at the manic personality shift of the young girl, Naruto was however never one to dismiss an offer of friendship, especially now considering that the only person he knew in this place offered very little in the way of open companionship.

"Uh, sure, why not? My name is Uzumaki Naruto! What's yours?" Declared Naruto with his practiced signature grin.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Ruby Rose!" Ruby replied almost as emphatically. "Uh, hey, don't take this the wrong way, but aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon? What are you like, 11, 12?"

Naruto's eye twitched involuntarily in irritation. "Hey! I'll have you know I'm 13 and I'm strong enough to kick anyone's ass here! Besides, you're one to talk. You look almost as young as I do!" Clenching his fist as if he might need to prove his boast.

The outburst once again put Ruby on the defensive. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it! I'm just surprised, that's all." Having almost started two potential confrontations today, Ruby made a mental note to avoid age related topics in the future. "I'm actually pretty glad, I thought that I was going to be the youngest one here, and it was going to be really hard to get to know anyone."

Calming down at the admission, Naruto laced his hands behind his head. "Eh, that's alright. Sorry if I got angry. I just hate it when people underestimate me."

Ruby nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I understand. I don't like it when people underestimate me and Crescent Rose."

Naruto and Ruby began placidly walking together in the general direction of the school. Naruto looked at her a little quizzically at her statement.

"Eh? Who's Crescent Rose?"

Ruby's visage immediately brightened at this question and she began to pull out her weapon stashed on her back.

"Oh! Crescent Rose is my Scythe! I made her myself and she can transform into a sniper rifle!"

With a quick flourish like a dancer pulling out a baton, the contraption that she had unlatched improbably unfolded to reveal a bladed weapon that toward over Ruby herself and looked every bit as deadly as Naruto was sure it was.

Not off-put by the unknown terminology or the surprising celerity with which the petite girl had revealed her creation, Naruto gazed in dazzled awe at the novel weapon. Ever since he woke up, this place just kept revealing more and more awesome aspects. If they had even given half of this innovative proclivity into the pursuit of Ramen, he might be hard-pressed to expedite his return to Konoha.

"That. Is. SO AWESOME!" Naruto exclaimed exuberantly as he punctuated his response with star-struck leap.

Delighted with her new companion's response to her creation, she gave it a few experimental twirls to show off her own prowess and the weapon's excellent balance.

"Yeah! She really is, isn't she? It took me forever to put her together, and I had a super hard time finding all the parts I needed." Some of which, she didn't want to mention, were not exactly obtained through above-board channels and might raise a few alarms if anyone found out about their existence.

"So what kind of weapon do you have?"

Ruby's inquiry brought a slightly off-put and confused response from the blond shinobi, and he scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment.

"Uh, well, I have some shuriken and kunai, but I never really learned how to use anything else." Not that he hadn't often thought about it, especially after the confrontation in the land of wave with the Demon of the Hidden mist and his own massive implement. Naruto didn't necessarily want something that large, but he often dabbled with the idea of learning something unique, something to set him apart from his classmates (Sasuke).

Of course, having the majority of his income going to pay for the standard ninja tools as well as his living expenses made the ability to purchase such a luxury impossible. He could barely keep himself supplied with kunai and shuriken as it was.

In fact, that brought up a fairly problematic point. His equipment pouch which had been one of the few affects returned to him after being released was noticeably depleted of supplies after the previous expenditure during the retrieval mission. And being in foreign territory, and without any of the local currency, he had no idea how he was to replenish his meagre supply.

"But that's alright!" Naruto rebounded. "I'm just as awesome fighting with my own two fists!" Which was certainly true, to an extent. Of course, being surrounded by people with a plethora of sharp and deadly objects might eventually necessitate the need to obtain something to counter such implements. He could handle pain well enough, but catching a blade with his bare hands was not on his list of things he wanted to be repeatedly doing.

Ruby looked at him, a little chagrined, before she brightened considerably.

"Well, since you don't already have a weapon, you should let me make one for you!"

This exclamation brought pause to the young man. He physically stopped walking and gazed at her in a solemn expression that looked out of place on his normally jovial exterior. In that brief instance when she looked him she caught a glimpse of pain and perhaps mistrust flicker beneath the waves of his azure pools.

"You would do that? For me? For… someone you just met?" Naruto disbelievingly clenched his hand as he questioned her intent.

Nonplussed at the shift in demeanor, Ruby smiled innocently at him.

"Of course! You said that you would be my friend, right?"

Recognition flashed, perhaps of a kindred spirit as silver met sapphire and the subtlest of smiles appeared on Naruto's face before the damn broke and an expression that could make flowers bloom came to him.

"Yeah, of course. We're friends." Naruto held up the fist that was previously clenched at his side, and held it in front of his counterpart in anticipation.

Ruby took the invitation and brought her own petite fist to meet the one of her newfound companion.

"Yeah! And friends stick together."

Having non-verbally dismissed himself from Jaune's company upon disembarking the craft which he vaguely remembered in the previous day's bleary lecture to be called a Bullhead, Sasuke quickly wandered off before his loudmouthed teammate could track him down. He had scarcely had a moment to himself over the past week, and he had some perturbing thoughts that needed to be ironed out.

As he skirted around the school between the outer wall and the woods beyond, his thoughts orbited around many troubling things recently brought to the surface.

When he had made his escape from the village, what seemed now like lifetimes ago, everything had been so very clear. The need and lust for power had driven him to seek out the Snake Sanin, at the cost of any previous allegiances he held to his village or to his team.

But when had this become the case? His hand reached up to the dark symbol tattooed on the nape of his neck, but he could no longer hear the incestuous whispers in the dark recesses of his mind. It was like waking in his cell as he did, he had awoken from a sleepwalking state to a consciousness that he scarcely remembered. He could no longer feel the corrupting power tied across space to the traitorous Nukenin emanating from the curse mark, and though darkness remained, it seemed to feed from him, rather than the other way around.

In his newfound state of clarity he recalled a time before the machinations of the curse seal. Somewhere in that haze of a time after the bell best, and before the invasion by the combined forces of Sound and Sand. He scoffed to think of the possibility of its happening during the endless drudgery of D-rank missions, and yet, it had happened.

Somewhere along the line he had ceased to think of his teammates as nothing more than hindrances. And Naruto in particular, had grudgingly earned his respect and acknowledgment as, dare he say, his rival?

His equal?

Thinking back on their ultimate confrontation, Sasuke was irked somewhat as he acknowledged that Naruto, with the benefit of that malicious red chakra that he had displayed, had managed to stand toe-to-toe with Sasuke. And the conclusion was hardly satisfying. He still could not be sure whether he had surpassed his opponent in the critical moment, or if Naruto had intentionally held back his finishing strike out of reluctance to kill someone he may have thought of as a friend.

And in addition, somewhere in the chaos that had been their epic battle, the two had been transported into the center of a densely populated metropolitan area, with no indication as to how it happened or if anyone was involved in its occurrence.

Neither of them had satisfactory answers to this among many other things that had plagued them both upon waking. Their one accordance being the nominal acceptance of Ozpin's offer, albeit not necessarily for the same reason.

 _After the rather odd man had left the two to converse alone in their incarceration, Naruto and Sasuke sat in a tense silence for some time, neither sure of their own thoughts on the matter, let alone the other's potential trepidations._

 _Finally, forfeiting the staring match between them, Sasuke lay back down on the pathetic shrink-wrapped mattress and turned towards the wall, feigning an attempt to sleep._

" _Do what you want, dobe. I don't care."_

 _Naruto stopped in his pending exclamation. He had been about to voice his own honest misgivings on accepting the dubious offer, but after that pessimistic dismissal by his fellow inmate he instinctively rebelled._

" _Well I'm going to do it! I'm going to help them. That doesn't mean that I'm turning my back on Konoha or you for that matter. I still intend to bring you back kicking and screaming if I have to! But right now I'm going to help them, because they might be able to get us back home, and because it's the right thing to do!"_

 _Naruto had finished his diatribe and Sasuke still lay there as if not a word had been spoken. After Naruto's patience had been worn to within a hare's breath of breaking Sasuke spoke without looking up at him._

" _At least we can agree on something."_

 _Once again preempted from confronting the stoic teen, Naruto sat there with mouth cracked open._

" _But don't get me wrong." Sasuke started again, still facing away from the flabbergasted Naruto. "I'm doing this because I don't want to be stuck here. I have no intention of helping anyone, and I still have no intention of returning to Konoha."_

 _He sat up again then and faced Naruto meeting his steely sight._

" _And if and when the time comes…" Sasuke started, his obsidian eyes shifting suddenly to an unnatural crimson with tomoe circling his pupil. "… I have no problem finishing our fight once and for all."_

His response however, was mostly based on instinct fueled by the smoldering heat from their previous battle. The truth that Sasuke felt was far more complex in his mind. He was unsure now of his intent. This new place had in one way robbed him of his ambition by removing him an immeasurably far distance form his goal of vengeance, and at the same time offering him a fresh start on a path that did not require him to be consumed by his brother's unforgivable act and final challenge to him.

He was reasonably certain that he had no desire to ever return to Konoha, even if they would against all odds welcome him back. However, he was less certain if he even wanted to return to his previous life, the one slated for his mind to be ruled over by his burning hatred and his body by the vile snake, Orochimaru. Here he was absolved of all previous duties and responsible only for himself.

He paused as he vaguely recognized the muffled sound of a far distant explosion and a familiar exclamation of dismay.

… and his idiotic teammate, he amended with a sigh.

A while later, red and orange burst through the main hall's medieval double doors, involuntary urgency overriding their bodies respective limits as they scraped their way in for the opening ceremony in the nick of time.

First to recover, Naruto spied a blonde-haired woman boisterously waving and calling out in the general direction of Ruby and himself. Naruto couldn't help but notice that Ruby's pantomime gestures earlier to describe her sister's appearance hardly did the real article any justice. He would have blushed a shade to match Ruby's cloak if that ingrained early warning system in his reptilian brain hadn't been screaming at him to once again re-examine his luck so far with well-endowed blondes.

He personally blamed his pseudo-grandmother for instilling such a debilitating mental blockage into his young mind.

Urgency to avoid confrontation was only increased when he noticed her sturdy looking gauntlets and the noticeable tension of muscle in her arm as she waved to her probable sister.

"Uh hey Ruby, it was nice meeting you but I see my friend over there and I think that's your sister waving to you got to go bye-" The exclamation came out like a colony of bats from a cave with as much speed and frenetic energy as the blond boy spared no extra time for the still out of breath girl to come to terms with what was happening. He disappeared from view even before the conclusion of the sentence and Ruby looked up to discover no trace of her newest companion by her side. She turned, however to the still waving blonde across the crowds before she got her second wind and leapt at her missing sibling.

"Yaaaanng!" She cried as she shot out like a cannonball to land in her sister's arms.

"Hey Ruby, where you been? Make any new friends?"

Exasperated, Naruto finally managed to worm his way through the crowd to where he caught a glimpse of his wayward companion. Sasuke glanced in his direction, but neither spoke to each other as Naruto gave him an annoyed look. He could understand that Sasuke might want to be alone for a bit.

He didn't have to like it, but he understood.

Still, with no added animosity between the two stood side by side as the familiar forms of Glynda and Ozpin emerged from the darkness surrounding the center platform and took center stage. The general cacophony of the crowded students quickly diminished to an apprehensive murmur as they waited on baited breath for their new headmaster to begin.

They did not have to wait long.

Ozpin needed not even to clear his throat to gain the crowd's attention as he gave his obligatory greeting.

"I'll...keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge-to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose – direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

And with his piece said he walked off stage with nary a word more much to the confusion and chagrin of the assembled student body. The two shinobi among the audience were no less effected.

Naruto would have been grateful at the brevity of the speech, for in his experience, people in such positions, even his Jiji when he was still alive and Hokage, tended to be long winded. He was hung up on the accusatory message, however. For as long as he could remember his purpose in gaining strength had been so that he could become Hokage and be acknowledged by everyone in his village. In fact, that was still his desired endgame. But with recent events being what they were, he began to have doubts about whether or not he could achieve his goal if they couldn't even find a way home. He could ignore that detail for a while at least and fuel his energy for improvement with a heavy dose of denial, but the day might come when he would be without an ultimate goal. And what purpose would Uzumaki Naruto have then?

Similar thoughts plagued Sasuke's head, although he had the benefit of thinking along similar lines for the past few days. For now, he would continue as if nothing, or very little had changed. He still needed to become stronger to defeat his brother. He would test himself against Naruto and the best this world had to offer as a barometer and to keep honing his skills. When and if the day came when it was no longer feasible to return to their own land, then he would deal with that problem when it arose. He would take advantage of the instruction available in the here and now, regardless of the origin.

For the time being they had to put aside their past differences in order to work with one another. Though they might get useful instruction from the teachers and perhaps even the students here, only the two of them knew of their own origins and capabilities. They would have to carefully reassemble a base of trust that they could rely on in the coming days ahead.

Otherwise they might be truly lost.

Otherwise occupied with their own private thoughts, both Naruto and Sasuke missed Glynda's subsequent explanatory speech about the course of the rest of the evening. Thus when the crowd started to disperse around the stage, they followed the largest cluster of people out and over to what seemed to be a ballroom of some sort, repurposed in this instance as a co-ed dormitory with rudimentary mattresses and beddings little better than the kind that had been provided for them in their jail cells. For themselves that had garnered many nights' experience sleeping on the hard earth with minimal barrier between, these would prove more than adequate.

Prepping for sleep presented a brief period of remorse as Naruto bemoaned the loss of his favorite sleeping headwear. Even amongst the seemingly endless piles of proffered vestments, he was unable to find anything resembling his missing familiar. He carefully folded the clothes that he had chosen to wear that day, a black zip up hoodie without distinguishing features, a plain white cotton t-shirt and to his eternal delight, a pair of orange cargo pants that fit him just a little loose. He deposited the donated 'sneakers' (whatever those were) neatly next to his folded pile. He decided to forgo socks, never having worn anything but sandals they simply felt out of place.

They both had to be careful with their current garments, as they were some of the few things currently in their possession. They had been allowed to take two changes of clothes and a backpack, and later had been given basic toiletries and returned whatever had been relatively undamaged after they were admitted to the infirmary.

Blood stains were damned difficult to remove.

In the adjacent bunk Sasuke mimicked much the same actions, having finished only slightly faster he placed his black long-sleeve turtleneck and khaki shorts underneath the bed along with his tennis shoes and socks, being used to that particular garment when he had to attend formal events as part of the Uchiha clan, before he grabbed his toiletries and began to make his way to the bathroom to begin his evening ablutions.

As he left he glanced back at Naruto who had untied his battered Hitai-ate from its place around his neck and sat staring at the unmarred engraving of the leaf.

Seeking to give the boy some privacy, Sasuke returned to his nightly ritual. His own headband survived, though not without the gouge inflicted by Naruto in the Valley of the End. He had tucked it away at the bottom of his pack, having no use to display allegiances in this place.

Although, if he was entirely honest with himself, he would have also admitted to being slightly ashamed at the symbolism behind the scratched-out leaf and the aptness with which it reflected his recent actions.

Left alone now with his own scattered thoughts, Naruto was so engrossed with his own morose musings that he failed to notice the not-to-subtle approach of his newest friend and her sister.

"Hey there Naruto!" The abrupt greeting triggered the hairpin reflexes of the young ninja and he leapt skywards where he stuck himself to the ceiling braced like a frightened gecko against one of the supporting arches.

Both Ruby and her older counterpart looked up incredulously at the easily startled youth.

"Oooookay. Sorry about that Naruto. I just wanted to introduce you to my sister since you didn't get to meet her earlier." Ruby annunciated to Naruto who was still quite high strung.

Calming his attacking heart, he took stock of his unexpected visitors. He was pleased to once again see the smiling, innocent visage of Ruby, now clad in appropriate (for a girl at least) sleeping attire.

He was slightly hesitant however, to see the sudden appearance of the enthusiastic blonde from earlier.

Acknowledging his uncontrolled phobia and steeling himself, he dropped down from where he was perched, landing with cat-like grace next to the two expectant women.

Unfazed, Ruby gave him a valiant imitation of his own shit-eating grin and greeted him once again. "Naruto! This is my sister, Yang Xiao Long. Yang, this is Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto scratched the back of his head in his nervous tick at the slightly awkward introduction.

"Uh, hey! It's nice to meet you."

Yang gave a disarmingly genuine smile and raised a hand in reciprocation.

"Likewise. Ruby's told me that she met someone who was younger than her and attending Beacon. I had to see it to believe it myself." She gave an appreciative smirk and nudged the young man with her elbow. "You must be really something if they let you in already, huh?"

Blushing at the praise, Naruto's phobia was briefly overruled by the part of him starved for attention (especially when received from attractive members of the opposite sex).

"Uh, yeah, I am actually pretty awesome." A stray thought made an interjection. "But my friend Sasuke it pretty good too, and he's not much older than me."

Yang's eyebrows visibly rose at this proclamation.

"Wow, two of you huh?" Yang's smile gained a predatory slant to it. "Is he cute as well?"

Yang's slight teasing left Naruto a rose-colored blubbering mess. It was not helping that neither of them was clothed in streetwear at the moment.

While her friend was being good-naturedly tormented by her older sister, Ruby's eyes caught the metal object that Naruto had been holding when they first approached. It now lay under the bed next to his neatly folded clothes. She bent down to pick it up and examine it further.

"Hey Naruto, what's this?"

She held the headband by the well-worn and stained cloth backing. Her eyes and then her fingers roamed the pock-marked metal surface, tracing the unknown symbol engraved in the middle.

This question brought Naruto out of his stupor as he noticed what Ruby was examining. Restraining his unconscious jealous possessiveness of one of his few prized possessions, he patiently held his hand out in a silent request as he gained a solemn air.

Unflinchingly Ruby handed the object to him and he held it reverently, gazing at his own reflecting in the scratched and dull metal plate.

"It is something very precious to me." Naruto spoke in an unaccustomed somber tone. Ruby had yet to see her new friend adopt such a persona. In the afternoon that she had been getting to know him, he seemed incapable of expressing a single negative emotion.

"It's a symbol of my home. Of what I have accomplished so far. Of the people who are still counting on me."

Both Yang and Ruby watched respectfully quiet as Naruto re-tied the headband around his neck. He couldn't forgo it entirely, but at the moment it didn't feel right for him to wear it on his forehead. He was not acting as a shinobi of Konohagakure right now.

Finishing the simple knot, Naruto looked back up at the two and gave them a smile that could make them forget the whole episode had ever happened.

"Anyways," Naruto threw a rock into the conversation to divert the flow. "What do you think this test is going to be like tomorrow?"

Naruto had gone through his own initiation back in Konoha, and he was praying that it wouldn't be like that. With the number of students present, and the lack of emphasis on life or death struggles thus far, he doubted that it would be as difficult.

He was sure as hell eating breakfast though. Screw anyone who told him otherwise.

Pretending not to notice the diversion, Yang posited a theory "I don't know what exactly they have planned, but I know that the students will be grouped into teams, so probably it will be some kind of survival exercise." *involuntary twitch* "Hey! If we get a chance, you guys want to be on a team together?"

The scent of the familiar was becoming overpowering to the young shinobi, but at the same time it was a small relief that they might be paired up with locals who could help fill in the gaps in their knowledge.

"Sure! That would be great. So far I haven't met anyone that I would mind being paired with. Well, almost no one…" Twin sneezes emanated from across the hall followed by a disgusted, high pitched yell.

"Sounds like a plan then, foxy!" Naruto's blush returned full force at the introduction of the nickname. "I'll be keeping an eye out for you tomorrow, g'night!" Yang disappeared back to her own accommodations with innocently flirtatious wink. Oblivious to the exchange, Ruby wished her friend a good night's sleep as well, and retreated after her sibling.

Waving dumbly and still with a paralyzing nervousness Naruto elfishly wished them good night as well.

As he lost sight of their meandering forms in the dimming light of the ballroom, he noticed Sasuke had returned from brushing his teeth, and he had an unamused scowl adorning his features.

"Hey! They you are, what took you s-" When in range Sasuke's arm shot out and clamped down on Naruto's lips before he could utter another syllable. The deranged glare that Sasuke sent him would have been sufficient even if his lips were useable at present.

"Not. A. Word." And with that simple command Sasuke approached his bedding and hastily insulated himself from the rest of the room under the comforter.

Naruto blinked sheepishly. "Geeze, what's his problem?"

Sasuke had left Naruto alone to his devices and finished brushing his teeth some time ago. He was making his way back to their assigned beds when a blue-clad form interrupted his vision.

"Hey Uchiha, good to see you again." There was Jaune clad in a garment that was disturbingly reminiscent of a certain taijutsu expert's attire, only if possible somehow worse as it was accented with white bunnies on a sky blue, fuzzy- were those booties?

Pinching he the bridge of his nose in an attempt to mitigate the oncoming migraine he could only utter one word.

"No."

"Huh?" Jaune was befuddled at the monosyllabic statement.

"What's the matter Uchi-"

"Sasuke."

"What's the matter-"

"No."

Just plain no. Sasuke couldn't let this travesty occur. In his mind he was partly to blame for attempting to extract information from the bumbling fool. Idiots should not be encouraged. It was along this sequence of thought that he stumbled upon a most horrific possibility. The clockwork in his mind started assembling distant pieces of extraneous information, similar blond hair, similar intelligence, similar disposition.

And that horrid outfit.

Unable to decide between a shudder and twitch Sasuke was forced to do a combination of both that briefly resembled an epileptic seizure as Jaune looked on, wondering if his new friend was having some kind of fit.

Adrenaline was suddenly going into overdrive over in the mind of the professed avenger. He simply couldn't allow two of them to exist. God help this world if the two were to meet.

No.

He subtly pulled out a kunai he managed to keep hidden in his bathroom bag, and as he took a single menacing step towards the increasingly nervous blond man-child, Jaune started to reassess his situation.

"Uh, Sasuke, what are you doing?"

The manic gleam in his eyes as he met Juan's frightened stare was deeply unnerving.

"Correcting a mistake."

Sasuke gave quick chase to Jaune as he bolted. He was surprisingly wily for such a lanky and un-coordinated individual. But then again, he had his baser instincts guiding him, trying to keep him alive and away from the possessed raven teen.

Still, Sasuke and his team had managed to capture the demon Tora, one gangly teen wouldn't prove much of a challenge.

As he was closing in on Jaune, he looked back in affright only to miss the impending obstacle that began to cross his trajectory. In the end, Jaune collided full on with a slight girl in a white nightgown. There was a resulting tangle of limbs and sheets as the two of them toppled over and ended up overturning several other folding beds.

Sasuke looked on in diminished purpose as the two struggled to find some semblance of order to their pretzeled limbs. Eventually the white dress, and strangely enough white haired girl, righted herself and with a haughty expression of exasperation righted herself.

"Ugh! What the hell is your problem?!" It was as she was dusting herself off that she caught sight of Sasuke standing there still with kunai in hand and an unreadable expression on his face. She extended an accusatory finger at the young ninja. "You!" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at this. "I should have known that uncouth scoundrel had an accomplice somewhere here! Why Ozpin allowed such undisciplined children onto this campus is a complete mystery!"

She returned her attention to her crumpled sleepwear. "Argh! This gown cost 400 Lien! How are you going to pay for this to be fixed? Do you even know who I am? I am Weiss **Schnee** , and when my father hears about this… !" She trailed off in incoherent outrage while Sasuke regarded her unemotionally.

Placing one hand on his hip as he returned his weapon to its home, he addressed the incensed girl. "Look, I don't much care who you are. I am sorry about your dress, but it was the fool here who ran into you." Still on the floor, Jaune tried to protest, but Sasuke cut him off.

"Furthermore, why are you at a combat school if you are worried that your clothes might get alittle scuffed. You don't even know what the situation is or who-wh-o-a!" Sasuke's nose started to betray his diatribe as an insatiable tickle came out of nowhere.

"Who are you to lecture me? You are a child that doesn't even know what he is talking abou-abo-o-o-a"

Having closed the distance between them with their pointed argument, the two were now in point blank range of each other when the urge simultaneously erupted in the both.

"ACHOOOO!"

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwww!"

'Damn you Naruto, this is somehow your fault.'


	3. It is the Way You Name Your Ship

Naruto squinted his eyes in the early morning light as he tried to pay attention to the silhouettes of Glynda and Ozpin as they stood before the assembled group on a picturesque, yet oddly foreboding plateau overlooking a verdant forest far below. Staring into the rising sun as a background, he tried to concentrate on their address to himself and his fellow students, however could only catch every other word.

"…Teams….given…today. First person…. Upon landing…."

Ok, so he understood the gist of it. This would be a drastically different method of pairing than what had been the norm back in Konoha. Certainly it was more random, or rather up to personal choice.

Glancing to his right, he saw his only other fellow ninja, not even bothering to try and keep sight of their instructors, he had his eyes closed in concentration, perhaps oblivious to the outside world at the moment, but Naruto thought probably not.

To his left, also standing on an identical platform was an attractive dark haired girl that he had caught brief glimpses of throughout the course of the previous day. She wasn't really paying attention to Ozpin either, and incredulously enough seemed to be engrossed in a book. This wasn't too off-putting to Naruto, having had experience with another person who could simultaneously read and engage in combat. But it still dissuaded him from trying to make idle conversation. So, he gave a sigh of resignation and tried doing one of the many things that still proved to be a constant impediment to his learning: being patient.

A short while later, short enough to not be taxing to his limited reserve, the sound of tension being released suddenly on a spring and the sight of human figure far down to his left being flung aimlessly into the forest below alerted Naruto to a change in activity. He grinned in anticipation and pumped his fist in excitement as he awaited his turn.

The procession of flying students before him passed soon enough, and he witnessed the dark beauty to his left subtly put her book away before crouching on her haunches like a cat in anticipation, whereupon she leaped along with the springboard underneath in a graceful and coordinated maneuver.

Grinning like a fool, Naruto similarly braced himself and was unceremoniously flung from the Cliffside moments later. Before the rushing wind became an insurmountable cacophony, he briefly heard the sounds of a question being posed to their headmaster. Something to do with… landing strategy?

Paying no heed to future developments, Naruto let out an exuberant whoop as he was determined to enjoy the free ride and worry about landing later.

While splaying his body in enjoyment of the rushing stream of air billowing around his hair and clothes, he caught sight of Sasuke quickly gaining on his trajectory as he adopted a more aerodynamic position. Upon reaching more or less the same flight path, however, Sasuke too unfurled his body from its bullet-like form and let the viscosity and friction of the impeding air slow his descent so that he and Naruto were more or less synchronized in the air. Naruto idly noticed that both he and Sasuke had been flung significantly further than the majority of their classmates, the springboards being calibrated for persons of a greater body mass put the two of them a few hundred yards further out.

The canopy was fast approaching, and so spelled the end of the ride. With the wind rushing like a hurricane past their ears, verbal communication could not be used, so Naruto looked to his predetermined teammate (yet again), to see if he needed any assistance with landing.

Even had he been in need of Naruto's help, Sasuke would never have admitted it, and even with the precarious hard landing imminent, he patently ignored his fellow shinobi and had adopted an air of nonchalance ever familiar to his features.

Deciding that he could no more change the moody boy than he could stop the sun from peaking above the violet hills far away, Naruto decided to control his own descent. Contorting his fingers into his most practiced hand-seal, a dozen or so copies of the blond materialized in a quickly dissipated puff of smoke around him. They had been spawned in close proximity to the originator and had formed an interlocking and bulbous semi-geometric prism around him.

Already the added surface area of the extra bodies as well as the sudden increase in mass had drastically reduced his terminal velocity. He entered the tree line and passed rapidly through the verdant strata, his clones periodically dispelling with forceful collisions to any particularly sturdy limbs. Soon enough though, he was clear of obstacles and as the last of his clones dissipated in a flourish of smoke upon impact with the ground, the blond burst from the cloud into a practiced roll and came skidding to a rest in a lunge.

Quite pleased with his magnificent entrance into the examination, Naruto let out a whoop of joy and felicity.

His partner was close on his coattails, and Sasuke quickly made his presence known with a graceful and seemingly practiced maneuver, he tacked one of his few remaining lengths of ninja-wire to a sturdy looking oncoming branch with a kunai. Tension from the wire near the bottom of his flight accelerated him in an upward arc like a swing, quickly looping around the branch and descending into a slower repetition of the same. Two passes of the like were all it took for him to slow down enough where he could disengage and come sliding into a graceful crouch not far off from the blond.

Grinning at their combined entrance and energetic at the opportunity to stretch their muscles for the first time in almost a week, Naruto was quick to express his pleasure.

"Hey! Nice one Teme! I'd give it a 7/10, maybe next time you want to bring along some pink streamers?"

This good-natured barb was answered with a scowl more intensive and filled with impatience than any Naruto had seen in a while. It was born from the festering pool of silence and frustration that had been allowed to accumulate since their unintentional and unflattering arrival in this strange land.

Sasuke had yet to express his true displeasure at the current predicament. He told himself that he was trying his best to make amends with the blond for the sake of mutual benefit, but he couldn't ignore the more vindictive part of him that blamed Naruto for the whole thing.

If Naruto had never come after him, none of this would have ever happened.

"Idiot, quit wasting time and hurry up."

Perceiving the heavily laced malice and acid behind this demand, something inside of Naruto seemed to snap as well. Not one to dwell on the negative, he had sequestered his own dark thoughts in a submerged closet adjacent to the cage of his tenant. But in all truth, his own frustrations were too near the surface to ignore, poking their eyed stalks out of the murk to keep watch for a break in defenses. This most recent gap proved sufficient for the slithy thoughts to emerge from their recesses and make a break for it. Propping open the door to the outside was an ogre of an emotion that had manifested days before and had been allowed to nurse and grow thusly unbeknown to its host.

The sense of betrayal had breached the gate and unhinged its maw to let loose a wet roar.

"What the hell is your problem you bastard?!"

This countering, rage filled statement only added oxygen to the growing fire as Sasuke turned from his progressions to face his accuser.

"My problem?" Asked rhetorically with as much venom as breath. The cursed mark on his neck danced in anticipation and glee. "My problem….is you." This pointed statement directed towards Naruto's very core. "You're always messing around, never taking anything seriously, and always sticking your nose in places it doesn't belong. You are the dead last, always and forever, and you have done nothing but hold me back since we were put on the same team."

Naruto's own scowl deepened and his teeth gnashed as a low growl started to form in his throat.

"In fact, you've failed everyone." Knuckles now turning white in response, Sasuke continued his diatribe. "You failed Kakashi as a student, you failed Sakura as a friend…." Biting remarks that scraped off callouses Naruto had grown over these insecurities. "…and you failed yourself most of all." A single condescending scoff. "You are determined to become Hokage? Have everyone recognize you? You are never even going to get back home. It's your own fault that we are stuck god-knows-where, how are you going to do any of that lost as you are now?"

His vindictive monologue ended with a low blow that momentarily left the victim breathless without a ready response. Diffidence feeding on sophistries and truth alike left Naruto mutely to boil. Sasuke silently turned, his piece said and his damage done, he had quenched the self-satisfying desire to vent to the only other person who could empathize with the current circumstances. He started to leave, more just to spite his teammate than any sort of desire to complete the task at hand.

"…bullshit."

Pausing in his sortie at the monotonal expression, Sasuke half-turned to regard Naruto who was still every bit of frustrated, annoyed, and hurt as he was before, but now had erected a bastion of retaliation against the disparaging emotions.

"Hm?"

"I said," The defenders were fighting back and the volume of internal battle increased. "I call bullshit!"

Sasuke had now fully stopped and returned Naruto's blazing stare with commendable fortitude. "Yeah, I've fucked up before." Naruto admitted. "Yeah, I was dead last, and certainly wasn't the smartest guy around. I'm still probably not. But you know what?" He did not wait for Sasuke to answer as he erected himself fully to project himself at his full height which in this instance seemed immeasurably taller than his actual diminutive stature. "I know things too. I know who I am, I know what that means, and what I have to do to make myself better. And I know that if there is one thing that Uzumaki Naruto never does, it's that he never gives up. I don't care whose fault it is that we got here, putting the blame on one another isn't going to do shit. But I'm not going to stop trying to find a way home, and when I do, I'm dragging your ass back there one way or another. And I'm not going to be the one to hold us back, either."

Slowly he drew a kunai from his pouch and Sasuke tensed slightly as he reciprocated the action.

"So far you're the one that's held us back, Sasuke. By always doing things on your own and treating Sakura and Me like we are inferior, you are sabotaging not only us but yourself as well! And if that's what you want to continue to think, then fine. But I promise you-"

Naruto then raised his left hand as well as the one with the kunai. Sasuke twitched involuntarily as he prepared to deflect any attack that might be coming. Naruto brought both hands together as he gouged a crimson rivulet on his palm. Clenching his fist and cupping the now free-flowing blood in his palm, he held the offering out extended to his dumbstruck opposite. Sasuke listened and watched intently at the familiar action of the blond ninja. Such an oath had been conducted on their first mission facing enemy ninja, and the boy had made good on his promise then, as well.

"-I promise that one way or another, I'll get us **both** back home in one piece. And afterward, we'll both go after your brother, together."

Silence reigned in the normally lively woods as the declaration floated in the confined atmosphere around them. Sasuke was unreadable as he looked on to see what might happen next, but Naruto held his ground, unflinching in either his posture or his gaze. Suddenly, Sasuke whipped his right hand forward and let loose the kunai he had palmed towards Naruto's direction. Naruto's eyes widened at totally unexpected action and his mind and body froze as he held stock still to the oncoming threat.

One moment he saw the menacing tip of the oncoming knife and the piercing whistle of portended doom, and the next he was looking at much the same scene as before, with Sasuke still standing opposite him in the glade, arm extended in aftermath of the throw.

Abject fear was still paralyzing him as he felt a gossamer finger of liquid trace itself down from his temple.

A amused smirk wormed its way onto Sasuke's face as he returned to stand, his satisfaction at Naruto's reaction evident. "And that's the biggest lie of all. You think you know who you are, what you stand for, but you're wrong." He punctuated this by placing one hand on his hip as he lectured Naruto like misguided student. "We are both the same. Everyone is the same. We all let our hate and our anger rule us. You're nothing without that red energy of yours, manifested by your darkness. You think I don't see it? The hated glares, the mistrust? You soak all of that up and use it as a weapon, same as me."

He bowed slightly and closed his eyes in self-assurance as Naruto stood listening while the drops of his blood began to form a shallow pool at his feet.

"You want to talk like you're so much more honest, so much more moral than I am, but that's just a front. You are the same as me, we are both stuck here, and the only difference is that I'm more practiced in my hate. I'm stronger because of it, and when the time comes and my rage has been honed to a fine edge, I alone will find my way out of this labyrinth and return to defeat my brother. You will still be living in denial of your anger, and will be stuck here without completing your goals, forever."

Sasuke let this final stone fall in a dead bounce on the forest floor. He did not expect an answer from the blond, who, when last he checked, was still standing in his own fluids opposite, a statue dedicated to failure. But then he heard a faint protest.

"No."

He opened his eyes and looked up, only to see Naruto's reciprocal kunai carving a path through the space between them with worrying speed. It was now Sasuke's turn to seize up. He couldn't comprehend the move, it was so out of character for his blond teammate, so unexpected that it went against all of his brain's programming and left him with out action. He could only watch, stunned as if the speed with which it was thrown was distorting the time and space in the clearing. Of all the ironies, this was by far the greatest. So this is how it would end? At the hands of his once friend that got pushed to the breaking point. He had survived thus far only to brought down by the most plebian of efforts.

He hardly even recognized the pained and choked cry emanating from behind him as the kunai was suddenly no longer in his field of vision. He was still dead as he turned to face the black and white, hulking visage of a wolf-like creature, jaw open in mid-strike, stopped cold by a single kunai protruding from the depths of its throat.

The creature fell dead and its life was transmitted to Sasuke as his mind awoke and caught up to reality. The Beowulf fell limp at the base of the tree-line where it had emerged and rested its head on its splayed, humanoid front paws before it began to degrade into black dust.

"I'm not like you."

Leagues removed from the exchange, and yet privy to the spat between the two, Glynda and Ozpin watched the transgression. Cool and calm as ever, Ozpin watched with a ghost of a smile, Glynda behind him, hands turning an invisible valve rusty with disuse as she stood with baited breath.

"You know I have always trusted your decisions…" Glynda started as Ozpin took a luxurious sip of his coffee and acknowledged the statement with a subtle nod as his smile became more visible. "And I agreed with you to let these two boys into the program, despite my misgivings." Her hands stopped their wringing and locked strait and clenched at her sides. "However, I feel I really must protest. We gave them a second chance after their disruptive arrival in downtown, and as soon as we give them any leeway they are back at each other's throats. You saw them, they were one step away from killing each other! Are these really the type of people you want influencing students at this academy?"

As Glynda finished expressing her resignations about the two boys, Ozpin uttered and amused and thoughtful hum as if in tentative thought. When he spoke however, it was devoid of doubt.

"As I recall, I think it was you who suggested that we start to teach the students more seriously, and potentially how to fight against other people. I think these two would be a great benefit in these regards. Besides," Ozpin took another sip from his omnipresent mug of caffeinated beverage. "I don't think that there was any real potential for harm. It's just the way these two boys manage to solve their differences, and we should respect their different culture."

These words did nothing to pacify the gremlins of apprehension still pestering his assistant headmaster, but she said nothing as the rest of the trial unfolded.

Continuing on, now in uneasy silence, the two wayward shinobi made their way North through the forest to where they believed their objective lay.

Their collective negative emotions had drawn several species of Grimm to their location, and they were forced to fight them off before they continued. Thus, their progress was slow, but it was fortunate that the beasts did not descend upon them all at once, and rather reached the pair in groups of two or three at max. Having braved the infamous training ground #44, the two, even distracted such as they were, were little hindered by the likes of the Ursa and Beowolves that accosted them. It took them longer to retrieve their weapons after they were thrown, but it was something that they could not afford to ignore, as they still had no way to replace them.

After an uncounted number of confrontations, they emerged into a clearing and spied a circular set of ruins in the center of the open space. Dubious as to whether or not this was their objective, the two approached cautiously.

Spying the various sets of alternating, colored game pieces, the two were less reluctant to drop their guard as they made their way further into the setting. They were familiar with the votive representations the objects displayed, but not with their meaning. They did, however, notice that several of the pillars were devoid of idols. Despite their initial advantage, their spat had cost them no small amount of time and they were clearly not the first ones to retrieve the objective.

Curious, but still a little guarded, Sasuke approached one of the statues, a golden one whose form he could not decipher. He delicately picked up the white queen and waited a few beats to see if any sort of boobytrap was activated by the action. With the lack of apparent retaliation, Sasuke turned towards Naruto and displayed the "relic" to his teammate, a silent question of approval, since the two were still hesitant to speak to each other.

Naruto shrugged an affirmation, before he noticed Sasuke twig on to a form emerging from the woods behind him. They both turned to face the approaching persons. Naruto relaxed, however, when he saw it was Yang and the black cat-woman he had been standing next to earlier. He gained a relieved smile and waved to the oncoming duo.

Yang caught sight of the two in the structure and waved excitedly before running over to greet them, dragging the other girl along reluctantly by the wrist.

"Hey Naruto! You made it! Didn't think you would beat us here." As she came within arms-length of the two she stopped and addressed the new figure that had moved from the idols to stand defensively next to his teammate. "And this must be your friend. Nice to meet you, I'm Yang Xiao Long!"

"Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke had amended his previous introduction because of the previously encountered confusion these people seemed to have involving surnames.

He restrained a twitch as Yang gave him a familiar careless grin in response. "Didn't get much of a chance to hear about you earlier, but Naruto said you were pretty strong." She turned to the shorter blond and reached out to pinch his cheeks, causing no small amount of discomfort and embarrassment to the Jinchuriki. "Whiskers says he's strong too, so if where you come from, cuteness and strength go hand and hand, you both must be pretty good!"

Ignoring the supposition and the vehement protests form his teammate, he shifted to address the person accompanying the other obnoxious blonde.

"Blake, Belladonna."

She answered his silent question and he nodded in acknowledgment, glad to have someone who seemed to be of the same mind about unnecessary distraction. They both turned to regard their two friends. Yang had Naruto in a headlock as she ground her knuckles into the boy's head, a sadistic but playful grin on her face as the boy unsuccessfully (not that he was trying all that hard) tried to free himself from the position he found himself in, braced between Yang's forearm and, uh, ahem, other assets.

Both Blake and Sasuke looked on in either incredulity or exasperation. They could hardly believe the celerity with which the two had seemed to become accustomed to the other, like long lost brother and sister.

All parties halted their revelries, however, as the repeated sounds of trees fracturing against the weight of a goliath force increased in volume as it approached from the Southwest.

Soon enough they spied red and yellow humanoid forms bobbing and weaving their way out of the dense foliage.

"Ruuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn!"

Sasuke let out a sigh as he recognized the voice of the **third** irritating blond he had encountered at this school. He also regarded the other form as the woman he noticed the other day back in the Bullhead on the way to the school. His mind supplied him with a name: "Pyrrha Nikos, the Untouchable Girl". And she was very passionately running away from something along with Jaune.

Probably not good.

His life, he thought in this instance, moderately resembled a children's popup book. And as he turned the page, there was the ravaging beast, every bit as contrived and vicious as any conceived to be guarding lost treasure or improbable damsel in distress. The giant scorpion at least earned points for creativity, in his opinion.

Not even waiting for acknowledgment from his teammate, Sasuke fluidly stashed the queen figure in his utility pouch and broke out in a dead run for the Deathstalker. Not a beat later Naruto was at his side as the two closed in on the massive Grimm.

Fully emerging from the woods, the creature uninhibited was faster than either of the shinobi predicted and a razor-sharp claw lunged out at the two of them as they scattered to either of the creature's sides. Perhaps sensing the negative emotions bottled up on Sasuke's person, the Grimm regarded him first and directed its first follow-up at the Uchiha.

Sasuke bobbed and weaved under the strike from the left claw, and leapt onto the right as it too took a shot at him. Running up the length of the arm towards the armored head, he leaped over the gaze from the beady eyes while releasing a salvo of shuriken at the obvious bullseye. He landed gracefully next to his partner, but scowled when the creature seemed little hindered by the direct attack.

As it lumbered to reacquire its target, Sasuke looked over to his companion and the two form a silent accord to act in cohesion.

Brandishing a kunai, Naruto took the chance to produce a handful of clones and proceeded to charge the now fully alert Deathstalker. Few of the clones managed to engage the beast before they were cut down by the massive pincers or stomped on by the overgrown arachnid's legs. Still, one managed to divert a leg speared in its direction, and from the blind spot provided by the sacrificial distraction, Sasuke appeared forming the last in a sequence of hand seals.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Cupping his hand in front of his mouth, Sasuke released the breath he had been building and a blazing sphere expanded from the improbably small spout. The grand fireball collided with the black and white monster and they could hear the blaze crack and crinkle as it consumed whatever material constituted the creatures of Grimm. The beast screamed in pain and frustration at this most troublesome of meals.

Sasuke landed and back-pedaling to Naruto's position as the two regarded the results of Sasuke's signature technique.

"Woah! That was so cool!" They heard the bubbly blond exclaim for further off.

Sasuke did not drop his guard, however, and was justified as from the consuming flames, the massive barbed tail came crashing down on their previous position. It imbedded itself into the ground as Sasuke gracefully retreated back, and Naruto was partially thrown by the explosion of debris before he righted himself. He didn't lose his adrenaline-fueled grin, however.

"Tch! Figures! That would have been too easy!"

Before anyone could mount a counterattack though, a second ominous rumbling and crunching symphony was building from inside the forest. Soon enough they were joined by a lumbering Ursa, easily three times bigger than any thus far faced by either Naruto or Sasuke.

They had little time to worry at this newest contender, before it stumbled on it's forepaws and fell dead upon entering the clearing, a massive hammer to the head, sending whatever brains the Grimm had shattering in its skull, a pink-clad girl the culprit.

"Awwwwww, I broke it." The girl innocently lamented. A second individual emerged from the path of destruction carved in the woods, his chest heaving under an emerald changshan.

"Weeeeee! That was fun! Let's do it again Ren!" The boy shook his head in the negative at the girl's ludicrous suggestion.

No time was given to become acquainted with this latest threat when they heard a scream descending from the sky above, and a plummeting red and black body appear from the stratosphere. Whatever it was fell right into Yang's expectant arms and she seemed unsurprised by the recent development.

"Hey Ruby!"

The now identified falling object tossed back her hood and leaped up to give her sister a hug.

"Yang!"

"Did your sister just fall from the sky?"

This was less of a surprise to the two, experienced shinobi, and they quickly assessed the means by which Ruby had come to drop in on them. The giant ravenesque Grimm glided almost silently overhead, whatever noise it made drowned out by the cries from the white doily in its clutches.

"Heeellllp!"

"I told you to jump!" Ruby shouted up at the apoplectic girl.

And with that particular screech, Sasuke recognized his second-least favorite person to be encountered at this school thus far. When she loosed herself from the Nevermore's grasp, he stopped Jaune from running past him to affect a rescue. Carefully drawing a single kunai, he took careful aim with his own eagle-like vision and let fly the blade moments before Weiss Schnee entered the treetops.

A dull thunk and the verbal shift from terror-filled scream, to annoyed expletives was the collective group's only affirmation at the girl's safety.

"Can everyone just chill out for a couple seconds?" Yang pleaded as Ruby disengaged the flying embrace.

"Sorry, but NO!" Naruto replied in earnest as he and Sasuke were forced to continue dodging the Deathstalker's renewed attacks. They both illustrated their combat prowess as they ducked and dodged around the merciless strikes coming from the three sharp appendages.

"Don't worry guys, I got this!"

This Ruby exclaimed as she leap towards the otherwise engaged scorpion-Grimm, brandishing Crescent Rose. The ancient beast proved however that its longevity was not due to any fluke, but rather a canny sense of danger and deadly reaction to follow in their wake. Ruby's initial strike drew the attention away from the two ninja as she established herself as the more aggressive threat. The deathstalker hastily deflected her strike with its left pincer, and was more than ready for her follow-up when she came striking down towards what she assumed was its head. It deflected Crescent Rose to the side as it centered itself on the girl who had been thrown off balance by the parry, and it reached out with its sinister tail to try and skewer her.

Ruby gracefully back-pedaling out of the range of the incensed beast but was forced to continue dodging as the Nevermore, still aloft and now more than irate at having lost its previous quarry, sent a fusillade of feathers at the cloaked girl.

Already in the process of retreat, Ruby managed to avoid the majority of the cuticles turned cutting tools, but was pinned by her own iconic garment as one lucky shot snagged her hood.

Her sister cried out her name in desperation as the girl was now otherwise immobilized as the land based Grimm now closed in on its trapped prey. Naruto and Sasuke had had to dodge the rain of needled feathers as well, and so were too far away to reach the downed girl. Still, they both closed in from either side using all the speed they could muster.

Just as the Deathstalker's claw came within striking distance, a steely blue shot burst forth from the forest and the creature's claw was encased in thousands of pounds of frozen water that successfully anchored it to the ground, hairsbreadth away from the downed girl, who had since managed to free herself from the offending spine.

"You shouldn't always try to do everything by yourself."

The reappearance of the girl in white could not have come at a more appropriate time. Having managed somehow to disengage herself from the tree she was doubtlessly hanging from, snagged by Sasuke's kunai, she now stood vanguard between beauty and beast, rapier drawn and live.

Ruby looked despondently at her savior.

"I just wanted to prove that I could do it."

Weiss turned around and looked forlornly at her partner. "I admit that I can be… difficult… sometimes. But we're partners now. And that means you won't have to do this alone. Now come on, we **both** have this." She finished her pep talk, extending a hand to the still seated Ruby. Lifting the girl up to her feet, the haughty façade Weiss had erected briefly disappeared.

The moment was not given the consideration it deserved, however, as the Deathstalker realizing the futility for the moment of freeing its iced-over appendage, lashed out with one of its still mobile limbs. Its tail struck down at the two distracted girls like a viper, its razor tip on a clear path to impale them both.

Weiss could smell the poison laced on the barb as it hovered within inches of her nose. For mere moments she was as frozen as the tail, before automatically taking one step back from the offending object and observing the resulting scene in front of her.

Multiple copies of the blond boy that had been fighting the Grimm earlier were now dogpiled on either side of the tail as it extended towards the onlookers, all of them visibly staining against the sheer strength of the mobile appendage, but all of them held the tail of the beast stock still even as it struggled against the ice still pinning it to one spot, and the annoying blond gnat that had somehow managed to halt its retaliatory attack.

"Y-you." Weiss exclaimed quietly in recognition of the figure.

Gritting his teeth slightly, one of the clones turned back to face the girls still dumbstruck with the scene before them. He gave them his best nice-guy grin, which seemed to them to be even more unnerving in the circumstances than the fact that he managed to halt such a creature stone cold with his bare hands.

"Sorry girls, but **we** got this."

As if stopping the tail was just a prelude to the symphony of insanity that the two were now witnessing, the combined gang of blonds all gave out a cry of effort as they pushed with inhuman strength and flung the tail into the air.

"Now! Sasuke!"

At the verbal signal, both girls looked back to see the approaching avenger accompanied by two Naruto clones. All three leaped in what seemed to be a choreographed dance, and the two clones formed half of a hand seal as they transformed mid-air into giant shuriken. Sasuke grabbed the rings of the two transformed weapons and in one fluid motion spun with as much grace as a ballerina and released them towards the tail of the great beast, now standing straight up in the air. Their obtuse angles converged in flight as they connected with their target. Slicing into the tail on either side, they did not manage to fully sever the limb before the durability of the clones gave out under the dense armor of the Grimm and they were dispelled.

The beast nevertheless gave a cry like nails on a chalkboard in bloody pain at the coordinated effort., and in its pain and blind fury, it managed to break free from its icy shackles, but was otherwise distracted by the intensity of pain from the infliction and writhed aimlessly out of range from its attackers.

Naruto addressed the assembled party and snapped them out of their paralyzing incredulity. "You guys can go ahead. Me and the bastard here can take care of this big bug. Just get out of here before bird-brain decides to join in." This assurance seemed to do the trick as the rest of them looked disbelievingly amongst themselves.

"I don't have a problem with it. I mean, we have the relics. Can't we just run now?"

A collective shrug of agreement and the remaining partners who had not grabbed pieces did so now and started to hightail it out of the combat zone, south towards their origin.

"And you!" Before departing, Weiss leveled her rapier at the unamused raven-haired shinobi. She gestured to the newly made hole in the hem of her once pristine dress. "That's two outfits you owe me." Sasuke scoffed in contempt at the haughty pronouncement. "But if you survive this, I guess I can call us even."

"Come on Ruby, let's go." Weiss implored her partner who had stopped herself to look at the two youngest members of their group, still unassured that she should leave them to fend for themselves.

Naruto noticed her hesitance, and turned around to present one more of his soul assuaging smiles.

"Don't worry about it Ruby. I told you, we got this."

Ruby heard this declaration and instinctively knew that it wasn't hubris or delusion. It was just the truth.

"Oi! Better not go dying on me Foxy!" Yang cried out from the edge of the woods to Naruto who had turned back around to face the Deathstalker which seemed to be coming to terms with its new wounds and mostly useless tail.

Yang saw the thumbs up he gave her and smirked, before she turned tail and disappeared into the coverage provided by the woods.

This gesture of assurance was the last Weiss and Ruby saw of the two as well before they followed the retreating group away from the dangerous battle taking place.

"Now…" Both ninja gave the beast their full attention as they planned their next maneuver.

"Naruto." He turned to regard his fellow ninja who had been mostly silent until this point. Sasuke did not take his eyes off the Grimm. "It's got the least amount of armor on its stomach." Naruto's smile became predatory.

"Got it."

Forming only three clones this time Naruto wasted no time in rushing the Grimm only now returning to its senses. As they ran at the tangle of black, spindly appendages, they weaved in and out of one another in an attempt to confuse the creature's ability to track the target. The kunai Sasuke had thrown earlier had failed to blind it, but they had messed with its binocular vision, and so it had trouble judging the range of the blond herd running crisscrossing patterns across the field.

All of sudden, the distance between the enemies had been bridged and two of the Naruto clones had grabbed the original by both arms before they flung him like a slingshot straight at the befuddled beast. He was shot forward like a bullet and the Grimm was unable to stop him from sliding in-between a gap in its defenses.

Suddenly it had a Naruto sliding on his back right under its belly. Aiming at a particularly soft looking spot on its thorax, Naruto aimed both his legs and kicked with all his strength right at this area.

"U-!"

The creature roared as it was forced onto its haunches. Surprise and pain had further distracted it from the other blonds still closing in. Two more clones leapt at it as it reared back, and with simultaneous hooks struck the beast yet again in the same target.

"Zu-!"

The creature was now almost airborne, the inhuman strength of the chakra enhanced strikes intended not so much to damage it, but move it into position. The final clone had arrived. Leaping over the original he fired off two consecutive kicks to the designated spot, each kick punctuated by the subtle sound of cracking armor and a declaration.

"Ma-! Ki-!"

The entire underside of the beast was open and clear when the sound of thousands of birds chirping filled the clearing. Sasuke was now a blazing spear point as he used his own incredible speed to close the distance and strike the weakened target with his hand encased with blinding electricity.

The Chidori cut through whatever armor the Grimm had managed to accumulate over decades of life and Sasuke's arm sunk up to his shoulder as the technique penetrated deep into the body and whatever else constituted a Grimm's anatomy.

"Maelstrom-Lion Combo!"

The beast fell onto its back with an almighty crunch of armor and limbs, and Sasuke extracted his own arm from the unmoving corpse. As he stood and looked at the black blood that had leaked from the beast and stained his arm, he looked on with morbid fascination as it too slowly evaporated as the body beneath him turned to dust. Just what were these things?

Just where were they?

Sasuke heard the sound of Naruto's footsteps approaching him.

"Not bad, but we gotta find a new name for that move sometime."

Sasuke regarded his teammate with this childish statement, and for the first time since arriving in this strange world, an amused smile wormed it way onto his face.

The others had put plenty of distance between themselves and the ruins with the time Naruto and Sasuke had bought for them. None of them dared look back to see if the Nevermore had decided to follow either of the two parties, but thus far it was not revealed by sight nor sound. Everyone was heavily winded by the time they were funneled into a wide valley. Nested like a constipated spider web another set of ruins perched precariously atop stone pillars which had visibly suffered from centuries of exposer to the elements. The more observant among them had wondered why they had not seen this when they had a birds eye view of the landscape not hours before, but none could deny that they were indeed headed South, so they needed to cross regardless.

The central walkway seemed to have retained the most integrity, which was fortunate for the collective group, because there was scant other option than turning around and facing the potential two massive Grimm. Still, it would be an exposed area after they left the safety of the valley and they had no way to guard themselves form aerial attacks should the Nevermore find them midway through crossing. They thus decided to proceed cautiously.

"I think we should spread out." Ruby was the first to take lead, with others either quickly seeing the sense in this statement, or just agreeing because they honestly had no better plan of action.

"Jaune, Pyrrha, you guys go first, you'll be able to hold off anything that comes up with your shields. Ren, Weiss, Blake and I will take the center. Blake and Ren will be fast enough to back you guys up and Weiss and I can support you with longer range attacks. Yang, you and Nora will take the rear, in case anything attacks form behind, you'll have our back. Sound good?" No one expressed any immediate argument to the arrangement, so they proceeded swiftly, but with a great deal of caution.

The only sounds present were those of their respective feet tapping gently on the fractured limestone of the causeway. Everyone was on guard with eyes and ears open, but even with a cloudless sky and sun directly overhead, there was no sign of any attacker. Still they tiptoed their way onward, passing by walls and structures in varying states of disrepair, like the mouth of a sugar addict. Yang was worried about the habits of her sister, and would remind herself to nag Ruby about brushing later.

More than halfway, Jaune looked to the sheer cliff face ahead of them, and spied a series of switchbacks etched into the rock. Relieved at having discovered their method of extraction from this convoluted landscape, he turned to the rest of the group to point out his findings.

"Hey! Everyone! There's-"

A time and a place for everything, and this was no time to let one's guard down, illuminated now by the beak of the Nevermore crashing through one of the more complete stain glass windows which had been serving to hide its midnight coat. It snapped its scissor beak at Jaune, but he was snagged away from becoming birdfeed by an appropriately timed yank on his waistband by Pyrrha.

Indignant at having snatched nothing but air, the massive avian batted its wings and lunged to try again. Pyrrha stepped in front of Jaune this time and gave the ingrate a not too gentle knock with her shield. It squawked in surprise and mild annoyance before it leapt into the air, sending the remnants of the wall tumbling down onto the causeway which had to be avoided by the young trainees.

Ruby and Weiss began throwing their long range attacks at it, while Ren and Blake hurried to either side of Jaune and Pyrrha and began to do the same, emptying their magazines to no effect on the still ascending bird-Grimm. Yang and Nora were quick to action as well, but like a chain of dominoes, the walls around them began falling, and some of the more substantial blocks started to knock out holes like busted teeth in the walkway.

"Ruby!" Yang made a lunge for her sister and the rest, but was rightfully held back by Nora as the entire portion ahead of them subsided into the cavernous space below.

Once it had gained sufficient altitude, the Nevermore flapped its sail-like wings, releasing a black rain of steel hardened feathers at the combatants below.

Jaune and Pyrrha were able to deflect the ones aimed in their direction, but the rest not already cutoff were forced to scatter to adjacent platforms and take up positions behind wall of dubious protective value.

"This is bad!" Weiss exclaimed to their self-proclaimed leader as the two were forced to retreat obliquely. "I know, I screwed this up, I shouldn't have had Nora and Yang so far back. Now we have no chance against that thing." Ruby forlornly conceded. She had made a tactical error, and it was one that may cost some of the team their lives.

"There's no time for talk like that now! We should- Look out!" Weiss manhandled Ruby by the arm as the Nevermore took another swipe at them with its talons. The way it sliced through the weathered rock, it may as well have been a spiked wrecking ball, with the roaring engine following swiftly behind. The rest of the bird crashed down on the space the two girls had occupied not moments before and the entire area began crumbling under its combined weight and momentum.

The two girls ran and leaped, attempting to flee the winged beast of destruction. It snapped at them in quick succession, never giving them time to retaliate, for what good that may have done. Each time its jaws closed shut on air, but each time it drew nearer to their desperate forms.

The next attempt they could feel the air parting from its beak ruffling their necks and its fetid breath curling the ends of their hair.

"Hey Chicken-Nuggets! Leave my sister and her friend alone!"

A yellow blur shot out from a collective blind spot and decked the bird in its gaping beak. The change in flightpath sent the bird headlong into a more fortified wall, stopping it in a flurry of feathers and shrieks.

"Yang! I'm so sorry this happened, I should have been there with you!"

Shrugging the whole ordeal off like it was an ugly coat, Yang gave her sister an affectionate smile. "Eh, no worries Ruby, just call it a learning experience. You'll get them next time." If indeed there were to be a next time, as the overgrown crow had righted itself and was searching for its disappeared morsel and the yellow brick that hit it.

Spying the huddled group, it once again became airborne in an attempt to gain the high ground. Nora and Ruby had shifted their respective weapons to their firearm mode and were about to give it everything they had left, when long range firing struck the Grimm in the back. Deciding to address what established itself as the immediate threat, the Nevermore swooped away to find the source of its consternation.

The ones spared collectively sighed in relief, but it was short lived as the dire nature of their situation began to set in on their minds coming down off of battle high.

"We can't keep this up. This thing isn't responding to any of our ammo, and there's no way we can get up there to hit it. It just comes down close enough to strike and then takes off again." Weiss summarized their conundrum and no one could disagree, nor could they suggest a method to defeat this.

Yang gained a pensive look as she put her hand on her chin. "Hmmm… I think what we need here is a decoy, something to draw Chicken-wing's attention away."

Far off among the sounds of heated battle they heard Jaune cry: "Not happening!"

"Eh, it was worth a thought." Yang shrugged.

"Well then, what are we going to do then? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Plainly irritated at having been sidelined thus far, Nora interjected energetically while hopping up and down.

"Nora! Would you quit bouncing around? We're trying to think of a plan right now!"

Weiss's dismissal of the hyperactive girl brought a breath of illuminated thought to Ruby however, as she latched on to a particular uttered phrase. "Bouncing? Wait! I got it!" The rest looked to Ruby who was giddy with excitement at her newfound strategy.

"Well? None of us have any ideas, so spill it."

Ruby leapt to her feet. "Everyone, split up and follow my lead!" She next pointed to the white-haired girl, still looking at her quizzically. "Weiss, you're with me!"

Seeing that they weren't getting out of this plan, not that they necessarily had anything better to do than wait for the Nevermore to grown bored with Jaune and the others and come back around for another try at a RWNY sandwich, they looked to one another before taking off in separate directions, Weiss following her fearless leader and praying that she did not misplace her faith in the younger girl.

They ran until they reached a relatively open space at the far south end of the ruins. Looking out to spy the Nevermore confusedly circling around trying to decide which target looked the least prickly, Ruby called Weiss over to her. "When I tell you to, I need you to give me the best boost you got." Weiss nodded hesitantly, but would certainly do what was asked. It wasn't her head on the line this time.

The Nevermore was befuddled with the spacing of its pray, rather than circle around the circumference of the valley, in a series of aborted lunges to where one target or another had appeared, it found itself near stationary and dead center in the roughhewn circle made by the hunters in training. Finally having enough with the indecision, it paused, twisted and tried to right itself as it made to gain altitude and try for the previous strategy.

"Now, Weiss!" Ruby instructed her friend, and Weiss hurried to comply. Ruby leapt upon the glyph that had materialized in the space above, and with her semblance in concert with the external boost provided by Weiss's skill, she shot out like a flash at the Nevermore, leaving a vortex of rose petals in her wake.

She struck the bird once and sufficiently dazed it as she made her first pass.

"Pyrrha!"

The redhead paused to appraise the oncoming Ruby-like projectile. She brought up her shield to ward off the impact, and held steady as Ruby touched down on its face. There was brief second where Pyrrha, though keeping still with her semblance, felt the pressure alleviate and looked up to see the guileless huntress perched on the face of her shield, giving her a mock salute, before she shot off again, back towards the Nevermore.

Blinking, as if that would dispel the inexplicable image of the girl, still just a red blur speeding back towards the beast, Pyrrha marveled at the audacity of the tactic, before she just shrugged and accepted it as the job hazard it was.

Still not completely recovered from the first time Ruby had knocked it senseless, the Nevermore was little prepared for a return visit from the crimson bullet. Another solid strike with Crescent Rose and its internal gyroscope was once again thrown off kilter.

Seeing yellow upon her descent, Ruby cried out.

"Yang!"

Her sister looked up with shielded eyes at the oncoming shape of her sister before grinning and winding up. "Here you go!" And with a dust-assisted, flaming punch, Yang sent her sister skyward again.

Another pass and another blow against the Grimm, and Ruby could swear she saw little Nevermores making tiny circles around the head of the dazed bird.

"Blake!"

The black haired beauty already well aware of the growing commotion had strung her ribbon across the gap between two pillars. She shook her head in mock exasperation as Ruby landed in the taught string and was rebounded back out of her hair with a trailing exclamation of excitement. "Weeeeee!"

Ruby was certain by this point the Nevermore was feeling it, and with each pass she clipped more and more feathers off its wings causing it to steadily loose altitude, so even as her velocity slowed with each rebound, she would still hit her target each time.

"Nora!"

Nora herself exclaimed as she saw her chance to contribute. She wound up for a bone-shattering strike and Ruby briefly wondered if she would survive this attack herself. With an explosion of pink energy, Nora smacked Ruby with even higher velocity than she had initially, back at the creature struggling to stay aloft. "Yeah! Hit that one out of the park!" Nora gazed after her self-proclaimed homerun.

Not having much leeway, Ruby steeled herself in her approach of the besieged Grimm. She wasn't going for a simple hit and run this time, and kept her arms taught as she hooked Crescent Rose around the Nevermore's neck. She spun around it like a pole before she was positioned toward the ground. She then heaved the trapped bird in the direction of gravity and at slammed down like a halved chicken in the center of the dilapidated courtyard.

As she descended, Ruby cried out her final order. "Now, everyone!"

Anticipating the move, they had already began rushing the downed creature. Looking back towards the siluetted form of ruby plastered against the blazing ball of helium in the center of the blue sky with the last of its resolve, the bird saw the encroaching shadows of seven figures descend upon it. It let out one last pleadingly small squawk before their combined strikes crushed its remains.

Ruby landed on the tenderized fowl in the middle of the circle of her friends, her eyes spinning at her own rapid acceleration. As her vision righted itself, she sat up and looked at all of her friends standing around her and the downed Grimm, proud smiles on all their faces as they gazed back.

Off in the distance, she caught a glimpse of two figure perched on the edge of the towering cliff. Focusing on them, she realized it was Naruto and Sasuke, they too had made it from their own trial, and from here looked none too worse for the wear. Ruby waved excitedly and it seemed to her that they waved back. Ruby imagined Naruto was giving her one of his face-splitting grins. She couldn't wait to tell him about the battle.

There were a few less than ecstatic looks at the appearance of the two mysterious boys. Blake narrowed her eyes in mild distrust. She did not yet have a reason to be either trusting or cautious, but the fact that the two of them took on a full-grown Deathstalker and made it here in the same time it did for all of them to defeat the Nevermore unnerved her to no end. Just how strong were these two?

Far away, but no less apprehensive, Glynda watched on her scroll the two battles in the examination. She was pleased at the cooperation and coordinated effort shown by both groups. But the two boys fighting by themselves showed far more deadly skills than she would have felt comfortable with two neophyte students knowing.

Ozpin saw her pursed lips and chuckled himself. "Well, at least it seems they are fighting together for the moment. I think that we are not going to have anything to worry about with those two.

Glynda bit her lip to keep from saying anything.

Don't jinx it.


	4. Lost Innocent World

"You two are certainly something special, aren't you?"

Ozpin addressed the two boys rigid at attention in front of him. After they had been picked up by the awaiting Bullhead and deposited at the academy, they had been surreptitiously whisked away to Ozpin's office in the highest bastions of the school's central tower, where he addressed them in secrecy. Sasuke was on edge the whole time, unease at the implications of being sequestered away from the rest of the students birthing all manners of undesired scenarios in his mind.

Their headmaster seemed oblivious to this as he regarded them with his omnipresent and mysterious smile. He waited just a beat before he addressed them again.

"I do apologize, for all of this. The expediency was necessary, and though I didn't intentionally desire to keep you in the dark, I did leave out some information that I had in deference to propriety."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes with this ominous train of thought while Naruto waited for the conversation to reveal something he could comprehend.

"I have had my suspicions for some time, ever since I first heard the reports of your unexpected arrival. But I couldn't be sure of anything." He tapped a few buttons on his desk and a projected image of the two of them engaged in combat with the Deathstalker, Naruto with his multiple copies and Sasuke with his arms encased in lightning chakra clearly visible. "Until now, that is." Ozpin stood up from behind his desk and began to pace the room, glancing out at the vista the tower's elevation provided the office.

"As of right now, you two are something akin to free agents, more or less. While there is no doubt you both show exceptional combat ability for your age, the bitter truth is that should you choose to work against us, you present a minimal threat to any of my more skilled agents." Sasuke and Naruto alike tensed at this declaration. "However," Ozpin continued unaffected. "it is in my personal best interest if I have you on my side. And the only way I can have you work for me is if you trust me, and the only way I feel for that to happen in the circumstances is for me to tell you the truth."

Ozpin turned to regard the wary youths.

"All of it."

* * *

"When you two were asleep in the hospital, I had samples of your blood analyzed. The results were surprising in the fact that there was nothing truly remarkable. The bloodwork showed no exceptional values of any of your vitamins, platelets, or any other category. DNA deviation was well within the range of what one might expect a sequestered population to develop in a few generation's time. But this," He gestured to the video screen still projecting the image of the two ninja. "this is unlike anything I have ever seen."

"You see," Ozpin came back around to behind his desk and sat down, minimizing the image so he could once again face the two at attention in the middle of the room. "our Hunters and Huntresses have learned to utilize an internal energy called Aura. They use their Aura to reinforce their bodies, preventing serious damage when struck. Together with special techniques or abilities, unique to the individual called Semblances, they are able to show many feats of incredible skill power, not unlike your little display here." He once again gestured offhand to the now postcard sized image. "But what you do is different, clearly. I was curious when I noticed that neither of you two utilized an Aura to mitigate the damage taken by physical strikes to your person. Then when I saw your techniques in use, I began to formulate or more concise hypothesis. While any one of your techniques is not truly exceptional in our world, fireballs, clones, and transformation I have all seen before. Never, however in a single individual."

Ozpin steepled his fingers in front of him on the desk, and regarded them as if they were a parody of the subject matter. "You seem to use hand signs to channel your internal energy to bend it to your whim, rather than use the natural proclivity of your Aura to do the like. Auras are unique to individuals, and seem to reflect the individual's personality. Which effects the other, we are unsure. But we do know that Hunters and Huntresses use their Auras to power their semblances, and therefore the semblance must be in congruence to the person's overall character."

Grasping on to the core concept in this explanation, and deciding to humor the man in his assertion that he was trying to be trustworthy, Sasuke offered up some information of his own. "The energy we use is called Chakra. It is both a physical and spiritual energy, and some techniques are more or less of one or the other. You are correct that we mold the physical part using the hand seals."

Ozpin nodded in comprehension. "Good to know. But frankly, at the moment it doesn't matter all that much to me." This statement drew confused and suspicious looks from both the onlookers. "Aside from trying to bring you up to speed with the workings of our society, my point in explaining all this to you is to emphasize the underlying fact, that Aura, and this 'Charka' of yours are fundimentally different."

"Meaning?" Sasuke probed, although he feared he already knew the answer.

"Meaning that you two are not from this world."

And with that bombshell dropped, the two felt stones drop in their gullets and their knees were locked to keep themselves upright.

Their headmaster eyed them for a beat to assess their reactions, when silence did not give way to an outburst, he saw fit to continue. "I know this must be a shock to you, but it is at least logical. Humankind cannot destroy energy, nor can we truly destroy matter. The two are interchangeable to a degree. We have known this for some time. So for you two to be so close to us in your physiology, your world itself cannot be all that radically different. And since neither mass nor energy has been lost in this conversion, the energy contained within your bodies must be more or less equal to our own, just, different."

"Like plus and minus on a battery?" Naruto probed, trying to reconcile this core dump of information.

Ozpin smiled amusedly. "Something like that."

When affirmed that he had more or less caught on to the basis of the argument, Naruto nodded and began to extrapolate. "So what you're saying is that there could be any number of other worlds out there, some with more physical stuff and less Chak - er- energy, and some with fewer objects and more energy, and some with the same amounts, but just, different?" Giving the boy an affirming nod despite the slightly erroneous explanation he was giving, he did indeed seem to grasp the core concept.

"So there could be another world out there where people don't have any sort of energy inside their bodies at all, and it is just invisibly floating around in space?"

Ozpin raised an amused eyebrow at this thought from left field before he chuckled into his hand. "I don't see why not."

"So why tell us this? What difference does it make to you if we can't get home if we are insignificant in your plans?" Sasuke directed this pointed remark at the seated man, and he nodded and regarded them both seriously once again.

"Firstly, I never said that you were insignificant. In fact, you could play a key role in my upcoming plans. But as I said before, I need your complete trust. I know that 'Good' and 'Evil' are always subjective, especially given your situation as outsiders looking in on our own little dysfunctional world." Sasuke registered this particular description of Remnant and flagged it in his memory as something more than just a curious wording. "I want to make you understand, however, that what I am trying to do is the right thing in the situation. And I can only count on you if I have your complete and abject faith in this belief. To this end I need to inform you that regardless of whether or not you agree to help me, I have enlisted the assistance of a trusted college and together we are trying to devise a way to send you back to your home world."

This proclamation struck a chord with the two shinobi waiting on baited breath at the direction of this conversation.

"Why?" Though both were equally curious, it was Sasuke that posed the question."

The smile never left Ozpin's face as he delivered his reply. "Because I want you to believe that I am trying to do what is right."

This statement made in what seemed to be genuine honesty hung in the air like a think incense and invaded the two young minds through their orifices.

Naruto, more driven by intuition than logic was first to come to terms with the plethora of mind-bending information being delivered to them. Sasuke was still suffering from his own logic, his own furtive tendencies corrupting any objective opinion he could form about the man.

"What would you have us do?" Both Ozpin and Sasuke had given their full attention to Naruto at this question, the unsaid declaration of acceptance hung behind him, brilliant colours being flown declaring allegiance.

Ozpin was noticeably relieved that he had at least gained one potential ally. Rummaging around the drawers of his desk, he pulled out the golden relic they had retrieved not long ago. He set it deliberately yet delicately in the center of the desk, and then addressed them once more. "This is the white queen piece. It comes from the strategy game we call chess. Do you know what it means?"

Sasuke nodded vaguely. "I have heard of it, but no nothing about the mechanics other than it is similar to our games of Shogi and Go." Ozpin nodded. "Yes, they are similar in concept, but each is specific in its rules, and in the games of chess all the different types of pieces have different rules that apply to them. The queen is quite possibly the most flexible of all pieces. It can move either horizontally or diagonally on the game board, and for an unlimited number of spaces. Other pieces are limited in the direction they can travel, or the number of spaces, or both." The two boys nodded acknowledgment, this was much simpler to comprehend thus far than either of their two native games. Clear military strategy corresponded to a highly mobile and formidable weapon.

"The catch, of course, it that one is only given a single Queen piece at the start of the game, and so it is a constant gamble to use her in combat. Whenever the player moves his pieces out of their starting position, they risk losing them in an engagement." Ozpin leaned back in his seat and drummed his fingers together a few times. "I am not lacking for capable peoples to surround myself with, nor am I without strategy. One can win with or without a Queen, certainly, but against a skilled opponent it becomes increasingly more difficult, and I am not a man that likes to take unneeded risks."

Starting to twig on to the drift of Ozpin's convoluted explanation, Sasuke gave a light scoff in annoyance. "You also don't seem to me the type of man to keep his best pieces in his pocket and away from the game. Although, if you proposal for us involves hit and run tactics that run a high risk of failure, I'm not too keen on putting myself **or** my teammate into dangerous situations if they can be avoided. So you're not exactly making a particularly good case for us helping you."

Rather than appearing dismayed at this accusation, Ozpin seemed pleased that Sasuke was grasping the general idea of his. "I wouldn't think so. Despite your eagerness to defeat one another when you first showed up, I doubt either one of you wants to give up your chance of going home for my own personal gamble. No, the uses I have for you require you to strike quickly and far enough away from your fellow students to keep them safe, and while not without risk, it is mostly the risk of being discovered that I am trying to avoid. In short, I would like to have an asset that I can use that cannot necessarily be tracked back to me. Prior to being released, you two did not exist in our society, either literally or figuratively. We had identifications and backgrounds made up for you when you first agreed to our deal, and they will hold up to a moderate amount of scrutiny. Deep probing will of course unearth some discrepancies, but this is to be expected and explained away by a number of means.

"What this all builds up to is that I can rebuild you any number of times that I need, should the need arise. In chess, if one can successfully maneuver a pawn, of which one gets eight at the start of any game, to the opponent's side of the board, he can exchange that pawn for another queen. At the moment you two exist as students of this academy on the surface only. Should anyone wish to investigate your presence, they will not find you listed on any school records. This again could pose a potential problem, but the benefits far outweigh the risks, and the risks are all mine to assume should the plan go south.

"Once again, I would like to remind you that your decision to help me in my efforts to make this a more peaceful world have no bearing on our efforts to get you home, other than the fact that we ourselves must be around in order to accomplish anything towards this goal. So I ask you, no I implore you: will you lend me your strengths?"

* * *

Ozpin had finished debriefing the two foreigners, but alas, his job as headmaster was an endless one. So here he found himself once again center stage as he set about the task in front of a great part of the student-teacher body of assigning the newest graduates to their future teams for the duration of their scholastic career.

Several teams had already had their time in the spotlight and he had dutifully announced their success to the roar of obligatory applause from the faceless crowd, but he could honestly say that he was looking forward to the next two almost as much as the meeting he had just left.

"Jauen Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren! Henceforth you shall be known as, team Juniper! Lead by Jauen Arc!" The befuddled look on the blond boy's face was worth it, and Ozpin resisted the urge to laugh as he was nearly bowled over by a congratulatory check by Pyrrha.

"Yay! Go Jauen!" Ruby and the others cheered and applauded their friends on stage, but the attention drawn to those on stage, brought Ruby's thoughts to those who were not.

"Hey, where's Naruto and Sasuke?" Also becoming aware for the first time of the boys' absence, Yang stopped clapping and looked to her sister. "Huh, that's a good question." Weiss merely huffed. She could care less where those two had gone. Despite their success in the Emerald Forest, she retained her doubts about the two young boys' capabilities.

Ruby was slightly downtrodden, though, she had hoped to get the chance to congratulate her newest friend on his success, and she had hoped he would have done the same for her. In truth, she was also a little worried something may have happened to the two to prevent them from attending the event. Yang lightly elbowed her sister. "What's the matter Ruby? Miss your boyfriend?" Ruby stuttered and fervently denied the accusation. Ruby was saved from further teasing however, as they were called for their own proclamation, and the matter of the two lost boys was dropped.

Still, that is not to say there weren't others in the group that had not noticed their lack of attendance. Pyrrha was mildly curious as to the whereabouts of the two improbably talented young men. They had both shown themselves to be rather adept during their trial in the forest, and she had hoped to be able to spend more time with them if only for the fact that they didn't even seem to recognize her infamy.

Blake, however, was aware of their flight for entirely different reasons. She was less concerned about where they went, and more with the why, for she had seen Ozpin quietly pull them aside immediately after the group had disembarked the Bullhead. Glynda had then proceeded to lead the rest of them to the dining hall where they enjoyed a long overdue meal, and this was immediately followed by the currently progressing ceremony.

She was also less worried about the two boys, and more because of them. Not one to begrudge others their secrets, she nevertheless felt herself wary in this situation being deprived of facts. The two had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. They hadn't been at the entrance examination, and they didn't seem to be known by any other student that she had encountered thus far. All of which could be potentially explained as coincidence, and the fact that they were granted special permission to attend. It wasn't likely, after all, that any older students would have associated with those so much younger than themselves, and being so much younger, wouldn't have gotten a chance yet to establish a name for themselves.

Still, the coincidences were adding up, and that made her hair stand on end. She still had a healthy amount of paranoia in stock from her days in the White Fang. And speaking of which, one of the two mystery students looked like he could be a Faunus. It was improbable that they were sent by the White Fang, because Sasuke looked certainly human, but she was not willing to discount the possibility entirely. What if it wasn't the White Fang that sent them, but Ozpin himself? Did he know of her history? Which would be a worse scenario?

She didn't even hear her name called as she lost herself to her 'what-ifs'. She resolved herself to be wary of the two, but not to try and draw attention to herself by outright avoiding them. It was a balancing act for sure, but the cat in her had no problem walking this tightrope for the sake of her safety.

* * *

The two rode the elevator in silence, neither sure of what to say to the other, if indeed anything needed saying. The long walk to their assigned dorm at the end of the hall on the third floor was a special kind of purgatory, a limbo in which all the right answers as well as the wrong were on the tip of the tongue but never spoken.

Upon approaching the dead end hallway with their door on the right, Sasuke stopped short and Naruto almost ran into him but instincts stopped him automatically. He didn't know what he hoped to happen. He hoped Sasuke had just lost their key and was only now realizing it. He hoped he was stopping to retie his shoelace. He hoped he wasn't about to say what he thought he was about to say.

"We can never go back, you know." The whisper came so soft that Naruto was tempted to pretend it was never uttered. "Even if they manage to get us back to our own world, we can never go back to the way things were." Naruto wanted so desperately to refute this statement. Days, even hours ago, he might have contested this with every fiber of his being, shouted out in denial and anger. But not now. He clenched his fist. The solemnity of their previous conversation with the headmaster had clarified their position and the he was weighted deep down into the sea of responsibility, the surrounding pressure threatening to crush the hope he still held in his heart.

He would not, could not give up hope of returning, for either of their sakes. But he could no longer deny fear deep down. The fear that he wouldn't be allowed to return, that their own society would never accept him and the evil that he kept at bay. The fear that team seven would forever be scarred by the whole ordeal as he retained the faint scar just below his heart from where his **friend** had tried to kill him. They were different people since the good old days. They were different people since **that** day. They were different since yesterday.

Would they even be able to recognize themselves in the mirror a year, a month, a day from now?

Maybe. Naruto thought briefly of this world's own beauty, of the people he might one day call friends. Of the person he might one day call friend once again. Maybe, just maybe…

"Maybe though, it's for the best?"

A voice that sounded so much like Sasuke, and yet unlike anything Naruto had ever heard from him before. A voice devoid of the confidence, hubris, certainty that embodied the proud Uchiha. Who was this new person standing in Sasuke's skin in front of him? Where were they that this imposter had inserted himself without Naruto's knowledge?

Oh what brave new world with such people in it?


	5. 60 Revolutions

"No friggin way."

Were the first words spoken all morning by the blond still clad in his white shirt and lime-green boxers.

Sasuke sighed.

They had arrived in disturbed silence to their room late last night to find a rather large room for just the two of them. The two identical mattresses and frames (distinctly more comfortable looking than any they had slept in for the past week, and, as Naruto noted, probably more comfortable than his own mattress back home) were spaced far apart in the room which looked like it might house another person quite comfortably. Any more than three, though, might be a little cramped.

There were two identically mirrored nightstands as well as empty laminate shelving that sadly would likely remain so, populated only by their scant personal possessions which had already been considerately moved from the hall where they had left them this morning to where they sat now at the foot of their beds.

A large, black duffle was immediately noticeable even before entering the room. Looking large enough that one could potentially dispose of an unwanted corpse or massive pile of dirty laundry, either of which was an equally likely scenario when living with two teenaged soldiers for hire, it sat there ominously silent in the middle of the floor. No note indicating what it was for, or who left it was visible, and so they both approached with due caution. Carefully retracting the heavy-duty zippers, the purpose of the became self-explanatory upon sight of the contents. It was filled near to the brim with kunai, shuriken, and other such ninja necessities, doubtlessly copied from their own stock when they had them confiscated during their prison stay.

In his sleep-deprived brain, Sasuke remembered being assigned individual lockers, which had thus far remained unused due to them have having nothing which to store away. Zipping the bag closed once again, they resolved to divvy up the resources provided to them in the morning, and so they left the bag where it lay. Being packed as it was, it was likely too heavy to haul anywhere in the present. Sleep would make these problems more manageable, and so they were ignored for the time being.

Before retiring to the much overdue rest, however, they deemed it prudent to explore what remained of their quaint accommodations. Naruto made it a point to examine the bathroom, taking stock of the coffin-sized shower provided and the lack of the usual necessities such as shampoo and conditioner; not that he bothered with those kinds of things most of the time back home anyway. To him, they were an extravagance, and if Sasuke wanted them he was sure that they could obtain some at a later date. With his remaining strength, he dumped out his toiletries in the sink and began to brush his teeth.

Sasuke, meanwhile, took note of the small closet centered on the wall between the door to the hall and the one to the bathroom. If hangers had been provided, they could neatly stow their paltry amount of clothes. There would be plenty of extra room, should they later accumulate any more. Opening the twin wood doors, he did indeed find hangers, as well as two perfectly pressed black school uniforms, doubtlessly tailored to fit their smaller than typical bodies. Sasuke looked at them for a few beats and somewhere his more reptilian brain was busy prodding his conscious, alerting it to the potential problem that lay ahead. But if the gravity of the situation was as Pluto, the rest of the information dumped on them today would be the black hole at the center of a galaxy. The message didn't register as he shut the closet doors and crawled into bed, not even bothering to remove anything more than his shoes.

God how he wished he pretended he never found them.

"There's no way I'm wearing that." Naruto locked his arms like a strait jacket against any attempts to forcibly dress him.

"Naruto, you don't have a choice."

"Yes I do!" Naruto rebutted. "We were never told that we'd have to wear uniforms, so I'm not going to wear it because I never agreed to it."

"No, you don't have a choice because I'm making you." "Oh yeah, how are you gonna do that?"

Sasuke was one step away from showing his most irritating of teammates, but took several deep breaths to center himself and tried to use a different tactic.

"Naruto, Konoha had uniforms."

"Yeah, but they didn't make you wear them! And plus they weren't…." Naruto gained a look as if he had just swallowed a live slug. "…suits!"

"I'm sure all those girls you met are wearing them."

"Yeah, but they probably look good in them! They're girls they'd look good in anything!"

Sasuke wasn't sure whether any member of the opposite sex would find that statement endearing or infuriating.

Ok, why did he think logic was going to work again? Change tactics.

"We see Glynda Goodwitch this afternoon. What do you think she's going to do if you are not in uniform?"

Ten minutes later and the two were dutifully present in their first class of the day, sitting quietly in their seats with minutes to spare. Well, Sasuke was quiet. Naruto was snoring pretty loudly. Sasuke felt his duty was discharged at this point, though. There was only so much he could do.

"GOOD MORNING FUTURE HUNTERS AND HUNTRESSES!"

The overly exuberant greeting from their teacher proved quite effective in rousing the young blond, who hadn't experienced such an adept lecturing voice since he was a student of Iruka's back in their academy days.

The source matched the boisterous greeting, as Sasuke idly toyed with the thought that this teacher did indeed resemble a bellows in both girth and volume. Professor Port looked like somewhere down the line he swallowed a horribly sour watermelon which never came out, and the color in his hair wanted no more to do with him after he decided that bushy mustaches were a reoccurring trend.

Before he could begin the lesson with another affront to the eardrums of all present, the door burst open in a pile of limbs, hair, tartan skirts and rose petals. A single, slender hand stuck up from the conglomeration.

"We made it… Ruby Rose, present…"

Naruto chuckled to himself at seeing his new friend execute such an entrance, while the professor was unflappable in his professionalism as he unabashedly greeted the mob and let them take their seats.

Ruby, being one of the first to untangle herself from the human hairball, spied her newest blond friend seated next to his more stoic partner near the front of the class. She smiled as she saw him, relieved that both he and his teammate seemed to be in good shape and present, although Naruto himself did look quite sleepy. She sent him an excited wave as she made her way to find an empty seat.

Naruto returned the wave, no less felicitously. Although, the wave soon turned into an effort to stifle a yawn as Ruby left to go find her team a place. Though he had crawled into bed very soon after his nightly hygiene regiment, he had slept very poorly, his mind busy sorting and his emotions deciding on a new filing system. He knew it had always been a challenge for him to keep awake in the classroom. Now it would be nigh impossible.

As the rest of team RWBY took their seats, Blake too caught sight of their reappearance. She also saw the heavy bags under the blond's eyes and she couldn't help but let her suspicious side run a little fantasy show in her mind's eye. She imagined him sneaking around campus in the dark of night, while all the rest of them were asleep in their beds and he would very carefully creep across the rooftops until he came to the window of team RWBY. She saw his eyes, for some reason in her waking nightmare slit and vulpine in their appraisal of the sleeping girls and women. Stripping away layers of secrets and threads alike in their assessment of the slumbering as only the finest cuts of meat.

She heard an especially loud snore emitted from the now drooling young man and that put an end to her hallucination. She wasn't particularly sure if the vision was a dire precognitive nightmare or a very twisted fantasy. Either way she figured that the tuna sushi in the back of her fridge had been a bad midnight snack.

It wasn't long, though, before most everyone was struggling to keep their eyes open. Sasuke toyed with using his Sharingan to try and focus, but quickly decided that it would be a bad idea if for some reason the image of professor Port got permanently ingrained in his mind. Others were in similar conundrums, while others like Naruto didn't even bother trying to listen to the droning of the teacher and his exaggerated stories, which even if only a fraction of their content could be verified would still be far less entertaining than the back of his own eyelids.

"… and so the moral of the story? Don't let fanfiction writers try to put their own lines in place of the comedy gold produced by people who actually get paid to write!"

The class nodded collectively, as that was all they could do with the few remaining brain cells they had left at this point.

"However, today we are here to learn how to become full-fledged Huntsmen and Huntresses! So, can anyone tell me what makes a true Huntsman? Correct! A true Huntsman must be honorable! A true Huntsman must be dependable! A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise! Is there anyone here who thinks that they embody this ideal persona?"

Sasuke scoffed. It was a clear rhetorical question. If one thought of themselves as having mastered all of those things, what were they doing at this school? And even if they did think highly of themselves, such ashe himself did, there was no way anyone could be self-centered enough to-

"I am!"

He chalked up his bad guess to the short time in which he had known the heiress. Clearly, she was more arrogant than he had given her credit for. Maybe he should have let her fight that Deathstalker? She wouldn't be bothering him about the clothes anyway if she was dead. Of course, as he sat an monologued, he overlooked the particular fact that the principle thing preventing himself from being down there on the arena floor fighting the Borbatusk was that he found it a waste of breath to mock people out loud.

"Go Weiss! You can do it!" Ruby's cheering on of her skilled, yet overconfident teammate had the opposite desired effect as it distracted the girl in her attack. That moment's hesitation lost her her good form as she dove to the side to avoid the berserk charge of the enraged beast.

"Go for its stomach! It doesn't have any armor there!"

"Quit telling me what to do!"

The white-haired girl opted to yell at her leader rather than focus on the attack. Her rapier became wedged in between the black swine's tusks and she was disarmed with a flick of its powerful neck muscles.

Sasuke eyed the girl always shrouded by the red hood. She was in many ways like Naruto to himself. Both could be loud and distracting at times. Still, it was sound advice she was giving to her combatant team member, and the girl on the ground was letting a little thing like the noise of a crowd blunt her honed skill. It was certainly unbecoming of a fighter, and only raised the question of what would happen if she found herself in a public fight?

Surprisingly, the derision of the skilled, yet mutable girl made him appreciate his own hot-headed partner. Naruto wasn't the brightest outside of combat, well, not even in combat either as his strategies were never premeditated and more a product of equal parts idiotic ingenuity and dumb luck. Still, when the gauntlet was thrown he proved himself more than capable of surmounting impossible odds. Sasuke admitted, if only to himself, that there wasn't anyone in their current world he would rather have at his side.

He also began to appreciate Ozpin's request as well. Even if these so-called 'teachers' were on a skill level leagues apart from the students, none of them were prepared to fight anything but Grimm. His throat was suddenly dry. If Ozpin wanted him and Naruto as his agents, that meant that he was going after human targets. The man was quirky to be sure, but certainly not a fool. He had seen the fight between Naruto and himself. In this world of electronics in every surface, there was no way video didn't exist. Ozpin had seen them fight one another and no doubt could surmise that they had been trained to fight against other skilled, human, opponents. Sasuke had no problem ending another person's life, it was is ultimate goal, after all. It just meant that they would have to be more cautious on any assignment in the future. Grimm were one thing, mindless monsters that fit into nice categories. Humans were a different kind of beast entirely.

Weiss meanwhile had retrieved her sword through some lithe gymnastics and had just finished the fight with a glyph to accelerate her thrust, she had pinned the pig to the wall of the classroom. The Grimm squealed and began to crumble into ashen oblivion as Weiss used her sword to support her heaving body.

"Excellent! Excellent! Well done! It seems we really are in the presence of a true Huntress! I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today, class is dismissed."

* * *

"….And then, and then, I was like, SWISH! And the Nevermore was all like 'SQWUAK', 'SPLAT' as I threw him to the ground, and everyone just smashed him!" Ruby frenetically pantomimed the previous days epic exchange as she recalled it to the only two of the group who had not been present. Naruto looked on in rapture while Sasuke paused in the midst of his Spaghetti lunch with its marvelous concoction of sauce in deference to the girl, but otherwise seemed immovably disinterested.

"…It was awesome." Ruby concluded as she deflated back into her seat as the sugar high from her regimented lunch of pure confections seemed to be exhausted.

"So, Whiskers, Mr. Broody, where were you two yesterday afternoon?" Upon gaining a moment devoid of onomatopoeia and flailing limbs, Yang gave words to the question that had been tenaciously holding on to the majority of their hindbrains for the last 12 hours.

Having expected, but not awaited this question, the two were prepared to get this conversation over with mitigating as few follow-ups as possible. "Ozpin wanted to see the two of us, because we were accepted last minute, there were not enough people for another full team of four, so Ozpin just wanted to let us know that we would be acting more or less as tag-alongs whenever a full team gets a mission, and maybe in time if we show him we are capable, we would get a mission to ourselves. He said it was a new concept that they were trying out." Sasuke began painting their backdrop, modern art more negative space than truth. They had decided early on, however, that despite Ozpin never giving them specific restrictions as to how much information they were allowed to release, that they should try and propagate as few questions as possible, while sticking to the truth as much as they felt comfortable with. This, they felt, would provide them the most security for any future operations, as well as be feasibly possible for Naruto, who was vehemently against lying or rather simply incapable of it, to execute without folly.

"Afterward, dumbass here tired himself out during the test, and so we just retired right after the meeting." Sasuke jerked his thumb in Naruto's direction, who was less than thrilled at being made the sole excuse for their no-show.

Still, this seemed to placate all present, except for Blake who still seemed to be suspicious of their impossible to verify alibi.

"We understand," Ruby said nodding after having perked back up with enough attentiveness to hear the two's reply. "we were pretty tired too after that. I can imagine after having fought off that Deathstalker all by yourselves, you would have been pretty tired. Still, I wish you could have been at the ceremony, I wanted you to see how awesome we looked when Ozpin named me team captain!" This last part directed primarily at Naruto, who gave an ecstatic thumbs up in congratulations.

"Oh! And Jaune here was made captain of team JNPR."

This surprised the two ex-Genin, who had not took the boy to be especially adept at anything, but had not born witness to the rest of the first year students in combat to be certain of his capacity. Naruto, though, not one to cast derision to others, congratulated his fellow blond all the same.

"It's a shame that we were split up during the exam," Pyrrha started out from the farther end of the two tables. "I would have liked to see you two in action. What kind of fighting style do they have where you come from?"

Naruto shrugged in an attempt to downplay the import of the question. "All kinds really. Sasuke and I both went to the academy and they taught us some stuff there. Sasuke's family has its own style, though, as do some of the other larger families back home. There was one guy, though, he was super strange, always wearing a green leotard and he had these HUGE eyebrows like caterpillars, but he was taught by his sensei- his teacher- their own special style, and he was super-fast and strong!"

"Oh yeah, Naruto you're still wearing that thing from your home-town today, right? You guys must really be homesick." Ruby observed correctly that Naruto was still indeed wearing his headband tied around his neck over the school uniform worn under duress. Having just taken a bite from his Ramen-substitute, Naruto swallowed the previously passable wad as it turned to clay in his mouth. He stared through the center of the table looking far more pensive than anyone had seen him thus far.

"Yeah, I do."

Sasuke himself restrained a wince as the rest of them parsed through the layers of emotion from the modest response. They had circuitously agreed between themselves not to cast any immediate blame, as the days went by and the smoke dissipated, Sasuke increasing felt his culpability in their current predicament, though he had to vocalize as much. Naruto, after all, was the one who had potentially lost the most. Whereas Sasuke had every intention of leaving the village, albeit not quite so far removed, Naruto was perhaps suffering more, albeit admirably silent, as he struggled to cope with the influx of culture and information being bombarded on the both of them. Though he did his usual magnificent job of hiding it, being around the blond for an extended period, Sasuke could more readily catch the minute fractures in the defensive façade emplaced by the normally unflappable boy.

"What's it like?"

Sasuke resisted the urge to throw verbal stone on the rails of the conversation to spare his poor teammate, and briefly considered taking the responsibility on himself of satisfying the girl's curiosity. But seeing that the question reignited a sort of pilot light in the core of his friend, he decided that perhaps slating the curiosity of the collective group was best done soon to avoid festering mystery was a good thing, and that revisiting their origins could be therapeutic to the homesick shinobi.

"Konohagakure," Naruto began wistfully with a different breed of smile on his lips. "the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The name suited it, everything there is surrounded by green. Outside of the wall is endless forests, but even with all the new buildings coming up inside, there always seems to be room for more green in the new gaps that they create. And overlooking us, always, are the faces of our leaders, carved into the mountainside." Naruto wistfully waxed in poetics he didn't even know himself capable of. The separation evoking some kind of emotional maturation, perhaps? He chuckled at a thought. "I guess I even kind of miss those old goats now?"

"It sounds beautiful." Ruby voiced the general consensus as the others who were paying attention nodded their confirmations.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose to come to Beacon, then?" It was Ren who had asked this, discontent with thus far being left out of the conversation.

A further bruise on a sore topic. Naruto tried to answer as concisely and as dismissively as he could.

"Sasuke here decided that he could learn more from outside the village, and I followed him here." A not-untrue statement, nevertheless was so toothless that there wasn't much to chew on. Ren seemed satisfied enough, however, as it was at least mostly true for all students who came to Beacon from other kingdoms, seeking to be trained in techniques that were removed from their own schools of thought.

"Are there a lot of Faunus in your home?" While Blake was not entirely swayed by the seemingly genuine ruminations of their place of origin, she did commend what seemed to be its expressive honesty. She did not wish to appear too aloof from the conversation either, and the answer they provided might tell her some more about the veracity of their claims.

Naruto blinked away the haze of recollection and turned his head to address the girl who had been up until this minute, pointedly silent towards the two of them, he had noticed. "Faunus…?" The statement trailed out more like a question than anything else. The term had seemed familiar to Naruto, and indeed now he seemed to recall it being a topic of focus in the rushed briefing of the society two days hence, but in all honesty, he had not payed all that much attention to the lecture conducted on fast forward, and the information had been pushed aside.

True, he had seen a few people here and there, some students, that had openly displayed their animalistic features, but even this did not fully register with the easily distracted young man. In his defense, in his but thirteen years of existence he had encountered far stranger things than a few incongruous body parts. It wasn't even like these features proved to be that ugly, in fact, there was that one girl with the rabbit ears, he blushed slightly, that had even been sort of cute.

Unlike that creepy shark-man that was chasing him around with Sasuke's brother.

The avenger himself saw the lapse in Naruto's handling of the conversation, and decided that it was perhaps best if he took over the reins for a little while.

"There are some larger families of Faunus, one group of dogs, and one of insects are in fact quite influential in our leadership. There are a handful of others as well, but nobody makes a big deal about where you come from." Sasuke wove this half-truth. He tried to keep it as cannon as possible, and dropped several hints so that his teammate might catch on, and be able to sustain this obfuscation.

Twigging on to his intended role, Naruto nodded in affirmation and expounded his own opinion to add credence. "Oh yeah! There are lots of them, and they're pretty nice, I guess. That one guy in our grade is kind of creepy, and Dog-Breath can be pretty annoying, but there both pretty cool once you get to know them."

Blake nodded her agreement to the expressed opinion about Dog-Faunus, and their freely given description seemed to be without any detectable deception, and did seem to downplay the possibility that they were from some sort of Faunus hate-group. But that still did not rule out the possibility that they were sent from the White Fang.

"What about you, did you ever experience any discrimination back home?"

This question from left-field was not one either boy had prepared for, and though its intention was diluted, it still caused Naruto's blood to run cold and his breath to hitch as for those hundreds of heartbeats crammed into seconds counted on one hand he was struck with the thought that they had somehow impossibly become aware of his tenant.

Once again, feeling his partner's distress, Sasuke was tightly confused at the reaction this question had manifested, but tried to reestablish the natural flow of the conversation. He elbowed in the side to knock him out of his stupor, and when the blond whipped his head to face him, Sasuke did his best to indicate the visible whisker-like marks on Naruto's face, without using his hands.

A brick of clarity smashed through the jammed window pane and a breath of fresh air returned to the suffocating occupant.

"Oh! No! Well, I'm not actually a Faunus, well, I don't know, I don't think I am? I've had these marks since birth, but I never knew my parents so I don't know if one of them was a Faunus or what."

This elicited a wave of sympathy from the rest of the table.

"You never knew your parents? That's so sad. I lost my mom when I was really young, but I always had my dad and Yang, oh and Zvei! He's our dog. Who looked after you, though?" Ruby empathized.

Naruto shrugged dismissively. This was not his favorite topic of conversation, but it was better than the perceived alternative.

"No one. I was kicked out of the orphanage on my sixth birthday, the same year I joined the Academy, and the Old Man gave me my own apartment and took care of the rent and utilities until I graduated and started earning money on my own." Clearly unaware that this was a big deal to the others present, who had never known anyone to have been raised in an orphanage, let alone raised themselves, Naruto resumed his consumption of the now rapidly cooling noodle dish in front of him. Finishing them with a highly vocal slurp, we sighed in appreciation and sat the bowl back down on his tray. "I mean, it's not that big a deal, where we grew up, once you graduated the academy you were allowed to wear the headband and you were considered an adult with everything." Naruto thumbed the Hitai-ate around his neck to the gaze of incredulous onlookers.

"Forgive me, but that seems a little…"

"Fucked up is what it is."

Pyrrha's assessment had been more appropriately concluded by Yang's interjection. Even in their world, where all of them were now admittedly being trained to be skilled warriors and to shoulder the responsibilities that would be born along with their occupations, they were all a good four years (in Ruby's case, only two) older than these two seated at the foot of the two tables the group had occupied. It was fathomable that the two of them were not only expected to be on par skill-wise with their elders, but mature enough to handle the social and emotional responsibilities that they would doubtlessly confront.

"It's a much different world, where we come from." Sasuke spoke quite literally, though it was all too easy for the rest to assume it was a turn of phrase. "Harsher. More dangerous. We were so far removed from other populations that we had to be self-sufficient, and the only way to keep that sustained was if everyone did their part to contribute to its defense. So from the age of six or seven, most of us were given at least minimal training in combat, and those that were adept at it went on to establish that as their career."

"You would think that with everyone in the village being trained to such a degree, we would have heard of such a place with that strong of fighters." Blake probed, trying to find cracks in their backstory.

Once again, Sasuke shrugged apathetically. "Like I say, it was more dangerous. They don't want to let anyone go because that means fewer people for the defense of the village. So our people don't travel much. Our leaving was…" Sasuke glanced at Naruto who seemed determined to look anywhere but him. "… special."

The bell calling lunch to a close rung, and so the gavel was pounded and the meeting of student adjourned until later as they hurried bus their plates and make it on time to the next class.

Though some lights had been illuminated on the performance, Blake felt that a lot of it was misdirection. Emphasis on certain stage props while the crew in black suits manipulated the puppets from the shadows. Perhaps she was still being a little too pessimistic, and not appreciating the play for the comedy that it portended to be. But she was still dismayed by the lunchtime conversation which had revealed a dearth of answers to questions yet to be asked. Patience would have to suffice for now, but in the future, it might be a prudent risk to attempt and get closer to the two, rather than have them frequently out of sight.

Unbeknown to her, others in their group had begun to notice her change in demeanor when in the presence of the two boys. Her alerted teammates had resolved to broach the topic delicately when possible, but for now let it lie for lack of concrete evidence. Her questioning however, had set Sasuke on edge, and only made him more determined to keep her at arms' length and as far away from the truth as possible.

He was concerned, though, for his affable teammate, who seemed all too ready to accept Ruby as a friend, and in conjunction anyone associated with Ruby. He just hoped that today had at the very least reiterated to the blond the need and the means to be discrete. But thinking back to this morning's ordeal, he wondered if he were really up to this challenge of keeping Naruto's mouth on a leash. The specter of Glynda could only go so far.

The bell rang in Prof- **Doctor** Oobleck's class, and a collective sigh from the mentally drained teenagers exited the classroom just after the first bodies had vaulted over the desks and had escaped out of the door. The students in less desperation to flee, or rather the ones just too tired from the first day to do anything more than shuffle quietly to dinner or dorms formed a mumbling brook slowly working its way out of the room.

One though, Ruby, had held back with specific intent, and waited in a shallow corner as the students furthest away from the front of the classroom finally found their chance at egress. Naruto, and surprisingly enough Sasuke were among this group, even the stoic boy having professed an exceeded tolerance for information by the afternoon. It was one of these individuals that she needed to hold a conference with.

"Sasuke?"

Her meek voice tapped him on the shoulder cautiously as if just saying his name would bring his scorn. Unfortunately for her, this meekness touched off a nervous reflex in the boy who had previously necessarily considered fan girls with such expressive voices a serious hazard to his mental, and even physical health.

"What?" Ow. That came out a little harsher than he had intended. Ruby was clearly not one of those enamored with him. She seemed friendly enough to him, in no small part he assumed do to his association with Naruto. In fact, if Ruby tended to flex her emotional muscles with anyone besides her sister, it seemed to be the blond idiot.

Ruby winced at the tone, but had already committed to her course of action.

"I was wondering if I could speak to you for a few minutes?"

Naruto had already stopped to wait for his partner and had been a silent observer more or less, waiting patiently for this rather strange encounter to play out. He had propped his head up with his hands and now looked especially quizzically at the girl who was wringing her hands in clear distress.

"….alone?"

This was certainly a novel and strange request, but neither seeing any harm in the innocent request, Naruto shrugged, gave a quick wave and left to bury any thoughts on the two of them with massive amounts of – sadly – Ramen substitute. At the moment, he was far more concerned with amending the lack of his favorite food in the cafeteria than whatever concerns his friend seemed reluctant to share with him. If she thought it was appropriate to tell him, she would, or even Sasuke might.

With arms crossed, Sasuke jerked his head to indicate leaving the classroom and the two walked in silent company down the hallway. Despite the fact that she had already decided to posit this question to Sasuke, she was having a hard time expressing herself and repeatedly gave false starts at the difficult conversation.

Sasuke grew quickly bored with this, however, and soon enough when they found themselves alone, he stepped in front of her cutting her off and looked her impatiently.

"Well?"

Seeing that she was well and truly cornered now, Ruby took a deep breath and began her spiel. "Well, you saw what happened earlier today, Sasuke, with me and Weiss? Well, it's not just that, but we just don't seem to be getting along. Anyway, I was thinking of asking Ozpin to possibly… to possibly remove me as leader of team RWBY. I was wondering if you would be annoyed if I recommended you for the position. I'm trying to be nice and be a good leader, but I can never seem to do the right thing and Weiss doesn't seem to respect me at all. I thought it was my age, but she even seems to respect you more than me, so it can't be just that." Ruby was struggling to keep herself together by the end. She was a little overwhelmed, and more than a little apprehensive at the boy's response.

"Of course, she respects me more." Sasuke scoffed. "She respects talent and strength. That's the way she was raised and it's a going to be a hard habit to break." Ruby looked at him, more than a little surprised and curious as to how he knew that about Weiss, despite hardly having talked to the girl without one or the other lobbing obscenities at the other. "I used to be like her." Sasuke admitted. "I can see it in others now, that arrogance, pretentiousness and concern for an archaic propriety. It took me a long time to break the habit. She's experienced it even longer, so chances are it will be even harder."

"Besides, she hates me. Can't say I much care for her, either. She may respect me as a fighter, and I would be lying if I said she didn't have talent, but we'd be at each other's' throats all day long. Trust me, I would be a very poor substitute for you."

Ruby was slightly off put by his dismissal, she didn't think his character would be at ends as a leader of a capable team such as hers, and she said as much. "I'm sure that she would get along with you better. The only one I seem to get along fine with is Yang, and that's because she's my sister. I'm afraid I don't know much about Blake, but I'm sure you would be a better leader for Weiss than I could. I mean, you're friends with Naruto and I know he can be a handful."

A single choking cough that might have been the closest thing to a laugh anyone had heard thus far from the notoriously apathetic young man. Sasuke shook his head at the sophistry. "As I said, I used to be like Weiss, maybe even worse. Naruto and I… we didn't used to get along. He's annoying, and obnoxious. He has calmed down some, but in fact I still find the idiot irritating. But back in Konoha, we were always fighting, could never agree on anything and could hardly stand to be around the other."

Ruby was unrelenting however. "Surely it couldn't have been that bad. You two seem to get along well enough now."

"I tried to kill him."

It was impossible for Ruby to formulate a response to that, and so she just stood there, mouth open still trying to form a coherent sentence but the brain was busy with slipping gears. "But-"

"Twice."

Sasuke didn't particularly know why he decided to reveal this fact to Naruto's friend, but he had had a little too much of this conversation already. He could see the skill that the girl possessed as well as the potential she had to be a good leader. He could also see her being held back by her hesitance and naiveté, and resolved to break her of this.

"But- but- but- you're both here, and friends now, so it couldn't have really been that ba-"

"The first time, our sensei stopped us. And the second…"

 _Crimson eyes stared into crimson._

 _Fear bled into hurt bled into rage bled into betrayal bled into_

 _A shallow pool forming at their feet_

 _Arms reaching out, past, through_

 _Cutting, slashing, scarring_

 _Marking, the symbol falling to the ground to the_

 _Earth to earth, dust to dust, blood begetting_

 _Blood red fades into blue fading_

 _Into nothing_

"… and the Second?"

Sasuke wasn't sure if he was going to answer that. He wasn't sure if he could.

"I'm telling you this," pushing his own pending questions to the peripheries, he tried to reassert his purpose in this admission which suddenly became apparent was quite the foolish decision. "I'm telling you this, because I want you to understand that people can change." God, how he hoped this was true. "People can change, just like he changed me. But it takes time, and more than that it takes dedication, willingness to do the right thing.

"Ozpin chose you to be team leader because he knew you could do the right thing. Not just making everyone get along, but having to make the hard choices a leader needs to make, that includes knowing when you are in over your head and need help. No one said it was going to be easy, but you have your team that you can rely on." The hypocrisy was not lost on Sasuke, but he chose to bury it for his own sake as well as for the girl listening in front of him. "And if that's not enough, you have Naruto, and yes even me to lend you a hand. But you are team leader, Ruby. Not me. Not Naruto. The tough choices are yours now to make.

"Nobody is expected to be perfect, we **all** make mistakes." Sasuke wondered just how many he would end up regretting. "Don't make the mistake of doubting your teammates."

'…like I did.'


	6. Stivali E Cablacco

"Mister Arc." The stern voice of Glynda Goodwitch surrounded him as did the darkness of the stadium until the stage was illuminated in blinding light to reveal his prone form. "Please learn to consult your scroll in battle. When your Aura is in the red, as it is now, it is perhaps best to choose a more defensive tactic. Had this been a tournament match, I could have called an end to it at this point."

Turning to the students assembled in her combat class, Glynda addressed the next statement to the collective. "Let this be a lesson for all of you, do not ignore your scroll, it is an important tool to be used in battle and can mean the difference between victory…" she directed her gaze toward Jaune once again "…and defeat."

Routine not yet fallen to monotony had settled in more or less to the circadian rhythm of the first years. This was not their first time in Glynda's class, nor was it expected to be their last for at least several more years. It was also not the first time that the blond Arc had experienced loss, and not the first time it was the brutish Cardin Winchester that proved culpable. Glynda had purposefully matched them up repeatedly, many suspected, because Cardin would seem to be a good measuring stick for Jaune, and perhaps because Jaune would be less hesitant to approach his opponent with a degree of aggressiveness.

Cardin had not tried to disguise the fact that he made it a habit of tormenting the awkward young man every chance available. Though some of the pranks had some admitted creativity and inherent humor that could be appreciated even by the victim's friends, the frequency with which they came, as well as the seeming malice with which they were perpetrated very soon left a bad impression on the whole lot. His machinations were not limited to Jaune, but the boy seemed to be a preferred target.

Dragging his tail back to the stands, Jaune took a seat on the far side of his team, trying to avoid their sympathetic stares. Seated next to Sasuke, he knew he could at least avoid this form one front. Sasuke didn't seem to concerned with Jaune's Cardin problem, and in fact had expressed a little impatience himself with Jaune's lack of apparent progress; that, or something else about Jaune seemed to be bugging the Uchiha.

So, it was a surprise when Sasuke saw fit to address him in a tone that was not quite friendly, yet perhaps not as caustic a remark as could be made by the usually unamused boy.

"You need more practice."

Still, Jaune thought as he scoffed, lack of malice or not, his observation was not exactly helpful. What did the stoic warrior think Jaune was doing here?

Hearing the derisive sound come from the desk where Jaune had collapsed and rested his head on his crossed arms, Sasuke amended his previous observation.

"Not just in class, but during your spare time. It's the only way you're going to get better."

"It's no use!" Jaune decried through muffled words. "I'm never going to get as good as anyone here. Even you two are leagues ahead of me." Sasuke said nothing to this, giving credence to Jaune's fears and causing him to sink further into his wallowing self-pity.

"Ok class, we have time for one more match today, do we have any volunteers?"

Perhaps as a means of redeeming their team's pride, Pyrrha raised her hand in affirmation and indicated that she was willing to display her prowess this time around. Glynda nodded towards her, acknowledging her submittal. "Ms. Nikos, is there anyone in particular you would like to be matched against?"

Pyrrha smiled and nodded, suggesting that she had an ulterior motive to fight than improving her leader's mood.

"I would like to fight Naruto, Please."

She had yet to see either of the two youngest Hunters in training in a strait fight. She had briefly witnessed their combat against the Deathstalker in the Emerald Forest, but was interested in getting a better idea as to what their combat techniques were like. So far, Glynda had seemed to be expressly restricting them from fighting. Both had fought a handful of times against unremarkable opponents who were chosen because they seemed to have a particular flaw in their technique that needed their adversary to highlight this with blow that make them regret and perhaps rethink their strategy. They also both seemed to be equally adept and willing to perform this function, but it did not lend to an interesting or comprehensive fight, as each time the younger fighters knocked out their opponents within minutes, or rather seconds of the start of the match.

Glynda bit her lip in frustration. She had been trying to avoid this eventuality for as long as possible. It was easy enough to keep the two's lack of an Aura a secret when they were fighting weaker adversaries. But Pyrrha was a different matter, she was sure to score a good hit or two on either one of them. And it wasn't just the display projected above the arena that would possibly alert the students to something being amiss. Glynda was worried that Pyrrha might actually do the boy some serious harm if she landed a blow. Naruto would know not to confront Pyrrha with lethal force, at least she hoped he wouldn't. But Pyrrha, thinking Naruto would have his Aura to protect him, would have no such qualms against using all the resources at her disposal. Glynda couldn't even place restrictions on weapons during the fight, for fear of alerting the students that something was pointedly different with this matchup.

Sighing in resignation, Glynda nodded to Naruto, the boy eager to oblige, as he leapt from the third row of stand to the center of the stage, as both potential fighters excused themselves to go change into their fighting clothes.

Both came back in record time, Pyrrha obviously just as eager to have as much time as possible for this sure to be exciting match. They stood at opposite ends of the ring, both with their own flavor of grin expressing themselves. Pyrrha, however looked a little quizzically at Naruto, though, as she noticed his state of dress.

"Uh, excuse me, but don't you think you should wear something a little more, protective?"

While Pyrrha had donned her usual combat garb which included minimal, but present armor protecting some vital areas, Naruto had reemerged with only the same set of clothes they had seen him in the first day. He stood there, arms crossed, a little impatient at this delaying inquiry, not quite understanding what was wrong with the black zip-up sweatshirt and orange cargo pants he had on. I mean, he had shoes on right? Those covered his toes at least.

He shrugged indifferently. "I don't really have anything else. This will do just fine."

If this statement especially bothered the redhead, she didn't let it show. She smiled in apparent acknowledgment and descended into a ready fighting stance. "Very well, I hope that I don't ruin them in our spar, but do not expect me to hold back any, I have been looking forward to this fight for a while, and it would be a shame if we did not both fight with all of our ability." Though, if she could help it, she wished to keep her own semblance as much a secret as possible.

Naruto's grin only widened at this and he cracked his neck without altering his relaxed stance.

"Wouldn't dream of it. I've wanted to fight you too. This should be fun!"

Glynda nervously retracted into a corner and activated the display screens with her remote, unbeknown to anyone else present, though, she also activated a specific program devised solely for the two students without the means to project an Aura. It would present a valued bar indicating the amount of Aura Naruto would supposedly have, but would otherwise not react to anything actually happening in the fight. Glynda would have to manually guess just where the boy's own energy values fell, and take off a reasonable amount for any blows Pyrrha landed.

"Ready?" She asked, though she herself was not. The fighters were another story, both nodding eagerly and the energy in the room perceptibly rose by no small degree.

"Begin!"

The end of the word had barely made it to Pyrrha's ears before Naruto was upon her, raining wild blows in her direction as she blocked each with her shield. Though he wasn't getting passed her defense, the strikes he was delivering left no opening for retaliation, and despite the virtual wall of steel alloy between her and the bare knuckles being drilled into it, she could feel the reverberations as she swore she could feel her arm begin to bruise.

Not deterred by this improbable amount of strength delivered by the diminutive young man, she dug her foot in and commenced attempting to push back. She managed a few thrusts of her spear, meeting nothing but the boy's shadow as he danced around the strikes, never pausing in his own probing of her defenses. She began realizing that was exactly what he was doing, despite the force he was managing to deliver with each punch or kick, he was not specifically trying to break her defenses, but striking around the peripheries, looking for an opening.

She decided to give him one. She dropped her shield the barest of centimeters, trusting the boy who had been lately conditioned to look for such follies might not think twice about the move. It was apparently effective as the next strike that Pyrrha saw emerging at her from behind her shield was a flying kick sent downward at her head. This was exactly what she was waiting for, however, as she now had him in a position where he would not be able to dodge.

In a single cohesive motion she broke the fake opening blocking his kick and shot her spear forward targeting her opponent's core. Naruto proved himself more dexterous than she had previously assumed, though, as like a cat righting itself before touching the ground, he twisted midair, a silk ribbon around the shaft of her weapon which suddenly went ridged as he sent out a mule kick with both of his legs. This blow sent both the fighters to the opposite ends of the arena. Naruto landing in a roll before he quickly righted himself. Pyrrha had stumbled backwards at the battering ram that had been directed at her.

Naruto, however, was not going to give her a chance to recover as the moment his feet were underneath him again he was off like a shot at her stumbling form, intent on catching her in her misstep.

Pyrrha was not known as the Untouchable Girl without reason, and proved her combat prowess as she recovered before the raging bull-calf had fully descended on her. She frowned as the same unrelenting blows shook her defenses. She was a little disappointed at the lack of tactics being illustrated by the young fighter, but realized a previously unaccounted detail: Naruto wasn't using any weapons.

True, in the other scant few fights she had seen him in, he tended not to use his projectile weapons, as they would either be deflected by his adversary and when they did land caused limited damage compared to his own body. Aura being the key difference between human opponents and Grimm. However, when confronted by a bladed weapon, Naruto admitted to using a kunai to augment his form, not wanting to block the sharp edge with his hands all the time.

Despite the fact that Pyrrha had not shown hesitant to use her spear, Naruto had yet to use anything other than his bare arms. This was a little worrisome to the Amazonian, fearing that Naruto may be aware of her ability to control metal and was thus avoiding using anything she could possess. She could still augment her own strikes and deflections, but even now was being worn down by the constant barrage the young man seemed to be able to produce.

Was that his goal? Wear her down and outlast her? It was certainly conceivable, and she knew from experience that the boy was certainly capable of it. While she was not as easily exhausted as some of the other female fighters at the academy, no one seemed able to match Uzumaki's stamina as baring the first day after the examination, nothing seemed to wear the boy down. Nothing active at least, he seemed to be incapable of keeping his eyes open in Oobleck's history class, however.

Gritting her teeth, Pyrrha knew that she couldn't let herself be backed into a corner. She had trained herself to her limits and beyond before and she just needed to get in one good strike on the boy and the tables could be turned in her favor.

Summoning her reserved strength to the forefront she prepared to break down the human wall before her. She dug her rear foot in and pushed forward and up with her shield as a single female phalanx, intending to give herself the room she needed and if she was lucky catch the boy stumbling back. The thrust came instinctually and whistled as it tore into…

Nothing?

With her shield raised above her head after the move to break off Naruto's attacks, she had a clear view of the rest of the arena in front of her, and there was no sign of the boy. He had simply vanished.

With her semblance helping to counter the weight of her shield, she didn't even register the increase in weight beside the kilos of metal that was omnipresent with the tool.

"Yo! Over here!"

Pyrrha was shocked at the jesting voice that emanated from behind and…. Above her!

She released her grip on her shield to avoid the heal of Naruto's foot crashing down, or rather up, onto her exposed fingers. She grimaced at its loss as quickly tried to put some distance once again between her and Naruto. Not willing to give him any additional advantage, she fluidly shifted her spear into its sword form and was upon the boy once again.

Her strikes were either dodged or deflected by her own shield as Naruto danced around with it like a Gypsy with a tambourine at the 14th hour of the wedding. He was dancing clumsily still with a grin on his face as her frustration increased. She was not angry, not yet, but she still did not like to see Akoúo̱, her shield, in anyone else's hands, even during a friendly spar. She started to add in kicks and punches as her ire increased and a few of these strikes landed before with a warrior's yell she checked the boy in the stomach with a well-placed side-kick.

The kick sent Naruto tumbling back and in the background, Glynda grimace as she deducted an eighth of Naruto's projected Aura.

Not willing to give her adversary any more respite than he had shown her, Pyrrha shifted Miló into its rifle form and sent a volley at the ill-prepared and off-balance Naruto. He had been preparing to stand back up when the shots arrived and he was hard pressed to bring his capture weapon to his defense. The shield was big enough to cover his crouched form completely, and Pyrrha stopped firing when she realized the futility in her current strategy. Deciding to risk close combat once again, she returned Miló to its sword form and charged at the still downed blond.

Naruto gritted his teeth from his protected position. Two of the four shots Pyrrha had attempted had hit their mark, and he was bleeding from a hole in his leg, and could feel the bruise forming on what he hoped were not cracked ribs. He was just grateful that the shots were constructed from dust, and so he did not need to dig a lead ball out of his thigh.

He was also grateful for the axillary training he and Sasuke had been surreptitiously conducting in the early mornings before classes. The two had both agreed that it was prudent to increase their skill as quickly as possible if Ozpin was imminently going to send them on missions where they would have to face obstacles that were actively trying to kill them on sight. Not having anyone to train them in their homeland's techniques, they had to improvise. The most immediate threat was that of firearms. Though the both of them had dismissed them as a crutch for those who couldn't learn to properly throw a shuriken, and that attitude had not changed when they had seen their limited effect on the Grimm in the Emerald Forest, after a couple of demonstrations during a friendly competition one day after school they had both resolved not to have their organs split open like those unfortunate watermelons.

It was certainly not easy, but they had reverse-engineered the Slug Sanin's super strength technique, this time using it as a means to increase the density of a target zone. They didn't need to have as much control as was needed to actuate their muscles in order to gain the legendary sucker's super strength, they just needed to shove Chakra to wherever they perceived to be the impact zone. The Chakra, depending on the density, could help distribute and deflect the energy from the strike, which was especially important for the high velocity volleys that firearms could produce.

In general, they had to send the Chakra to the impact zone right before the object made contact. It was ordinarily too difficult, as well as too taxing to constantly force chakra to the underside of their skin, and it also reduced the mobility of that area, which wasn't such a big deal for the body, but the legs were needed to be able to move out of the way which was a much better alternative than even attempting to block the blow.

And so this was why Naruto was slowly bleeding from the centimeter hole drilled into his left leg, and idly wishing that he had long ago demanded that Ozpin provide them with something more durable than their street clothes. Preferably something with at least a few millimeters of dust-reinforced steel covering vital areas.

But there was no time for regrets and ruminations at the moment, because his opponent was quickly trying to reinitiate the fight.

Forcing himself to move despite the pain, Naruto lifted himself up and began to run with the shield, committed to keeping it with him for as long as possible as his only means to prevent more holes being torn through his, repeat, **only** spare set of clothes. As the two approached, he diverted his course and started skirting the edges of Pyrrha's attack zone, consistently staying just outside her striking range as he circled her.

Not content with the sudden change to defensive tactic, the redhead tracked the blond in his evasive maneuver, preparing to leap at him as soon as he showed his next move. Which came after not too long an interval. Naruto had stopped suddenly in his circle, exposing himself however briefly to chuck the Akoúo̱ back towards its owner.

Almost lazily, disappointed with the rash move, Pyrrha stepped to the side and shifted Miló to its spear form and chucked it at the necessarily immobile blond, intending to finish the prolonged fight then and there.

As she stood there with arm extended, watching the flight path of her spear as it cut through the air inevitably to connect with the intended target, she didn't give a second thought to her shield that her opponent had tried to violently return after she had believed she stepped far enough out of its way. She certainly would have been, had the shield not burst into smoke that she managed to catch in the corner of her eye before a foot sheathed in a shoe, but not sock, smashed into the bridge of her nose.

She went flying back and rolled to a stop before shakily lifting herself back up. She reaquired her target, and wondered if she hadn't been hit harder than she thought. Standing in front of her were six copies of Naruto, but no, they were not fading in and out and were very much solid. She had forgot about his apparent semblance since the boy had not been seen to use it in any of his matches, and did not seem to use it anywhere else.

Of course, it wasn't like it was that easy to tell. Naruto had actually been using clones for various purposes, sometimes to scout around the school and learn its nooks and crannies for defensive purposes, sometimes to take his own place in class when he just wanted to sneak off and lazily watch the clouds in honor of his lazy friend. He had just been very careful to restrict their usage. Sasuke had lectured him on this matter, insisting that they not reveal all of their abilities. Not only would it be strange to these people for them to have all of these unrelated techniques under their belt, they also didn't want to become recognized due to their uniqueness.

But Naruto was rather pissed at being shot, and didn't really want to drag this fight on much longer if he was going to be seen as fair game for target practice.

Pyrrha knew she was in a rather sticky situation now, as the size identical blonds descended upon her. She was reasonably good at hand to hand, and her technique was better than Naruto's, but for every hit she landed, on blond was dispelled for the others to take its place, and for every blow he managed to land, her Aura took a significant hit as well. She was quickly losing ground in the battle of attrition, and was being backed into a corner of the ring. Without any of her weapons she was at a decided disadvantage against the dedicated hand-to-hand fighter and his copies.

In her metered retreat, her foot bumped against a solid metal object, which she instinctually realized was Akoúo̱. Now she had an advantage. She executed a backwards-moving handstand, snatching up her shield in the process. Using her superior form with her weapon, she quickly dispelled the remaining clones with brutal strikes from her shield sent in not so much aggression as desperation. She was getting exhausted.

She hit home at last, and Akoúo̱'s rim was introduced to the real Naruto's face, and he was sent airborne and met the ground face first several meters away.

Her throat was raw as she leaned panting on her shield. She was beyond tired as she chanced a second to look up at their respective Auras. She was not to know of course, that her only her own chart was a reflection of reality. Both charts showed full health, but Auras both in the red, Naruto's near zero. This being perhaps an inverse of reality, as Naruto had indeed taken quite the physical beating, but had never had an Aura to begin with.

Pyrrha was relieved, though. At those levels, Naruto should be just as exhausted as she was. And she thought that was indeed the case as Naruto struggled to lift himself off the ground.

"You did an amazing job, that was an excellent fight, thank you very much." She said sincerely to the Hunter in training struggling to right himself. Despite the face that at one point during the match, she had let her possesivness of her weapons influence her attitude, she held no grudge to her admitted equal. He had indeed provided a challenge, one that she had desperately wanted for some time, few others willing, or skilled enough to oblige.

Thus, when she looked at his smile as he lifted his head to face her, she misinterpreted it as an indication that he felt the same about his defeat. She had yet to see his inner prankster.

"Thanks! But, don't count me out just yet."

Pyrrha blinked in confusion, as the boy in front of her seemed on his last legs. The whole crowd, including Glynda who had ceased to monitor the application on her scroll and had moved to assist the downed fighter, were struck dumb as the boy in front of them disappeared a burst of smoke and hint of vapor. The only other object in the arena was Miló after she had thrown it only to hit the previous clone. Where had he gone?

Still on her own last legs, Pyrrha didn't see the painted tarp thrown into the air, revealing the crouched blond underneath. Her instinct alone forced her to turn and face the oncoming fist thrown by Naruto who had in that moment's hesitation bridged the gap between them. Her eyes were wide even as her mind went blank at the sudden reversal of fortunes. She had no time to brace herself for the surely very painful-

*tink*

Flick to the forehead. Naruto stood there with arm outstretched, finger grazing her omnipresent headband, a far more energetic and self-satisfied grin on his face.

"Gotcha!"

The whole class was silent as they tried to process just what exactly had happened. Pyrrha herself stood there dumb as well, mouth open to say something, but she couldn't quite fathom what.

While still very much flustered, Goodwitch was the first to regain her faculties.

"M-Mr. Uzumaki!"

Naruto looked around Pyrrha to see Glynda glaring at him, and he was suddenly very much more in fear for his life than he had been in the preceding minutes, though he had no idea what he had done to warrant her ire.

"It was just explained to Mr. Arc that in the event of Aura depletion, the referee could call the match to prevent further injury. Did you ever once consult your scroll during the match?"

He hadn't of course. What need had he to know that his Aura was still zero and that he had been shot or cut or otherwise injured? He looked to the display, though, to his confusion which clearly indicated that his Aura was in the red. Close to zero, but not zero. This was a curveball to the young man who scratched his head and tried to parse out exactly what was going on.

Not wanting him to inadvertently reveal the deception, Glynda was quick to redirect the students' attention. "Never mind! Just take your seats. Ms. Nikos is the winner."

Naruto didn't seem to be too bothered by this proclamation and was grateful that he had been sidelined without further affair. He shrugged and regained his smile as he returned his attention to the woman in front of him. "That was fun! We have to do it again some time!"

Still not fully trusting her own mouth, Pyrrha just smiled and nodded, wincing at the pain in her neck at the process. 'No way in hell'. She wasn't a fool, if she was always this sore after a fight with Naruto, she would never make it through the rest of her classes!

As they both made their way back to the stands, however, Pyrrha noticed the slight limp carried by her fighting partner. She looked down to his pant leg to see the hole that one of her shots had made with crusted blood on its ragged fringes. There was not sign of a visible wound, though, and so as he passed her on the stairs and she lost sight of the hole, she wondered if she had just imagined it in her fatuige.

"No….way." This expression was reflected of most of the observing spectators, but it was Jaune who had been able to provide it voice first. He hit his head against the desk and covered it with his arms. "Argh! You guys are WAY stronger than I am, there's no way I am going to catch up. If someone like Naruto can defeat the strongest person in our class, what hope do I have of ever getting better?!"

Still without giving out any visible emotion other than irritation with Jaune's defeatist attitude, Sasuke sought to answer this Rhetorical. "By training." Jaune made to start unleashing his frustrations on the Uchiha but was preempted. "Naruto wasn't always this strong." Jaune blinked. "Yeah, but I bet he was still stronger than I am, you both are!"

Sasuke glared at him. "Things come easier to me, true. That doesn't mean I haven't worked hard to get where I am. And Naruto…" Sasuke took a breath so that his indignation didn't overrule the lesson he was trying to convey. "…Naruto was dead last in our class." Jaune wasn't sure if this should make him feel better. If Naruto was dead last, just how strong were the **rest** of them?

"Naruto and I both worked hard, through blood, sweat and tears, to get where we are today. Naruto has worked harder than anyone else I know to get where he is today, despite having several things holding him back." Sasuke would not elaborate on that, though. It was Naruto's business if he wanted to reveal the truth to people of this world, and Sasuke hoped eventually to be included in that truth as well. In time, perhaps. He and Naruto had a lot of mending to do.

Still not quite believing what Sasuke was telling him, Jaune looked to Naruto who had made it up to their row and had taken a seat next to Sasuke. "I thought I told you not to show off, dobe." Naruto just stuck his tongue out in reply and the annoyed expression cracked back into his d-vitamin instilling smile. And as Jaune observed the interaction between the two teammates, he could swear he saw for the first time a smirk on Sasuke's face, not born of derision. Perhaps, Jaune thought, in this context, he could see the smiling boy in a different light. He saw someone who was not perversely strong or smart or even confident. He saw the kid that everyone had surely seen when first they laid eyes on him. And it was not a stretch to see himself be born into that assured warrior which occupied the next seat over.

* * *

"That was awesome! You two are just so Incredible!" That directed at the moderately uncomfortable Pyrrha and Naruto who for a change were sitting next to one another in the middle of the table at lunch. Ruby was both ecstatic and admittedly a little jealous of her two friends who seemed as natural in combat as they did taking slow and appreciative bites of their well-deserved lunch.

"It was a pretty fun fight." Conceded Naruto in a rare moment of humility.

"I'd bet you would be even more awesome if you had a cool weapon, Naruto." Ruby had been unrelenting in her desire to obtain, or failing to find something up to his (read her) standard, forge the boy the perfect tool to accentuate his unpredictable combat style. While he was still waffling on the idea himself, he was a little flustered at the girl, closer to his age than any of the others he was consistently surrounded with, trying to give him a gift. He was unaccustomed to such largess and wasn't exactly sure how he should reciprocate.

"Awww, just lay off Whiskers here, Ruby. Little guy is probably pretty tired." Yang teased the now half-mortified, half furies blond as she tussled his hair like a puppy. He resisted the urge to bite her. Knowing Yang, she would probably just turn it into a sexual joke, and his already low blood supply would leave him unconscious as it was diverted elsewhere.

"Actually, you look pretty tired, Jaune." The other blond boy had been staring at his sandwich, a couple of uninterested bites the only evidence that he was indeed still alive, or at least was immediately prior. He didn't register the comment directed at him, and was oblivious until seven pairs of eyes had been staring at him unblinking for at least a minute. Finally catching on to the odd silence overcoming the table, he looked and jumped slightly to see himself as the center of attention. "W-What's up guys?"

"Good question." Naruto murmured. He had noticed Jaune's growing preoccupation and reticence, but hadn't yet twigged on to Cardin being the cause. He was asleep most of the time the older boy decided to exacerbate Jaune.

"You know Jaune," Pyrrha started. "If there is anything wrong, you know you can tell us, we are your friends, we can help you." She implored the prideful boy, she knew it was Cardin and his constant overbearing that was making Jaune so despondent. That, and now he was also preoccupied with his conversation in the previous class with the young Uchiha.

"It's Cardin, isn't it?" Ruby suggested. A few yes turned to see the very devil at the next table over, in the process of molesting the personal space of an older student, a rabbit Faunus. They couldn't hear the derogatory words he was no doubt throwing at the poor girl, but they saw him pulling on her ears, a very unsuitable act to commit against any Faunus. Blake clenched her fist in anger, her olive knuckles turning a degree whiter. It was taking all of her restraint not to accost the cretin and probably reveal her own Faunus status in the process.

She was seated next to the Uchiha, his own typically stoic air she found un-perturbing and the two, while not exchanging but a handful of words now and then, seemed to have a good enough rapport. She had attempted to become more acquainted with the both over the last few weeks, both to assuage her own concerns about their mystery and to indulge her team leader who seemed perfectly willing to while away all hours of the day in their company.

"Cardin's a bully, but he's that way to everyone." Jaune admitted, while citing the scene occurring not a few meters away as an example.

Unbelieving of her leader, Pyrrha insisted. "You can't let him get to you. You just have to worry about yourself and getting better. Once you can beat him in a match, he will leave you alone, right Naruto?" Trying to get the boy seated next to her to reinforce her point, she was at a loss when she turned to see only Sasuke calmly sipping his still scalding tea. Without diverting his attention from his drink, he lazily pointed to the blond boy approaching team CRDL.

"Oh no."

Sasuke had seen Naruto leave as soon as his attention was directed towards Cardin and his team. Sasuke knew Naruto had a problem with bullies. He himself wasn't too keen on this one in particular. The whole situation in this world with Faunus seemed ridiculous to him. In his mind, Faunus could even potentially be superior than humans, with their advanced night-sight. Thus he was not so inclined to stop his partner from doing something rash, not that he necessarily could at this point. He glanced down at Naruto's untouched Ramen- the cafeteria had finally caved to his campaign after a few days of whatever Naruto had done that made all the kitchen staff sweat when they caught sight of him. The chopsticks were broken, but folded neatly atop the still steaming bowl.

'Oh no is right'.

Untouched ramen meant that Naruto was one degree past livid. He was something that Naruto was hardly ever and something that Sasuke had no desire to encounter directed at himself. Naruto was pissed. Everyone at the table was watching on pins and needles at this point, whether or not they could feel the anger rolling off of the Jinchuriki in waves.

"Oi! Asshole, over here!"

The assembled all-male team stopped what they were doing and Cardin turned to the interloper while releasing the relieved girl's protruding ears. They inspected Naruto like a pack of coyotes would a petulant rabbit, not quite believing that the poor creature wasn't cowering in fear.

"What do you want shrimp? Can't you see the adults are talking?"

"What adults? All I see is little kid picking on someone he knows won't fight back."

"Watch it small fry." Cardin warned the newcomer who didn't seem to comprehend just what sort of trouble he was getting himself into.

"Another short joke, really? You think I haven't heard them all before? I know a thing or two about people like you. You got some personal issues that you can't deal with and so you take it out on someone else. What's the matter, your dick shrivel up inside when you bend over?"

This jibe caused the rabbit Faunus trying to make herself as small as possible in the brewing tempest, blush with her whole face, and Cardin himself to snarl and take a further step towards Naruto who stood stock still at the aggressive action. The lunchroom itself had begun to still, and with the dying murmurs, almost everyone could hear the accusations being thrown now.

"You're a little turd who doesn't know when to shut his mouth."

Never failing in his vindictive smirk, Naruto cocked his head. "Oh, so not that then, huh? Maybe it's daddy issues then. That it? Dad give you too much spanking when you were a kid and now that's all you know how to do? Or maybe it was **really** spanking, maybe he used to go into your bedroom at night-"

Cardin was furious and unwilling to let the infuriating blond say another word as he picked the kid up by the collar of his hoodie. "I don't know what the hell your problem is, kid, but you got a death wish. I'm going to pound your face until whatever is wrong with your head gets fixed."

Reflecting the accusation, Naruto's grin seemed almost manic now, and he spoke as he gestured to his forehead with a single thumb. "Go right ahead. I'll even give the first shot. What's the matter? It's a freebie, hit me with everything you got!"

Cardin wasn't thinking much of the consequences at this point, his anger had overridden whatever restrictions his meager sense of propriety had on hitting kids four years his junior. His only intention with letting go of Naruto's collar and throwing his entire body behind his fist was making the loudmouth who was apparently without a filter or shred of self-preservation instinct shut his overextended trap.

The punch landed dead center of Naruto's forehead with all 80 kilos of Cardin's developed mass behind it. The room was totally silent, and everyone, Cardin included, assumed that the blond fool had been knocked unconscious instantaneously. A trickle of blood started to form a small pool at the boy's feet, and Cardin took this as confirmation of his all too easy success.

Until he noticed his hand was a little more sore than it should be.

"What the hell?"

Inspecting his hand, we winced slightly as he opened his fist and discovered the blood was originating from his knuckles, not Naruto's forehead which he saw now was scuffed and marked with Cardin's blood, but not bleeding itself.

"That it? My granny hits harder than you do."

RWBY and JNPR were not sure which was more startling, Naruto's apparent lack of injury at the strike, or the snort elicited from his normally unflappable raven-haired teammate at Naruto's rebuttal. They couldn't really see what was so funny about his insult.

"Oh!" Naruto said, as if he was suddenly realizing where he had left his pencil this morning. "It's my turn, right?"

Still incredulous at the lack of effect his unrestrained punch had had on the surprising kid, he was caught totally flat-footed when the little ball of piss and vinegar stepped on his foot and whipped a barely visible haymaker into his jaw. The little guy's punch crashed into him like freight train, and was unyielding as the boy's foot was pinning his to the ground quite effectively. Had it not been there, he was certain utilizing whatever brain function still remained, that he would have gone through the window several tables over.

As it was, he crashed into the bench, shattering the redwood into splinters and landing in a heap on the stone floor. He had had no time to activate his Aura, not credibly believing that the diminutive blond could do any serious damage. Sadly, he might very well make the same mistake again, as when he woke, this as well as several other recent memories were likely to be missing or otherwise hazy.

Cardin's teammates just stared at the absurd series of events leading up to now. Finally, one Sky Lark seemed to snap out of whatever reverie was keeping him bound. "Y-you, you little bastard!" This catalyst stirred the rest of the team, who realized that they had had a major slight commited against them, and started to advance on the blond.

"We're gonna-"

"Take your leader to the school nurse, who will stabilize him and make sure nothing gets infected." Few had noticed Sasuke leave his perch and glide wraith-like to sidle next to Naruto.

"You are not going to tell us what to-"

"She's going to have a lot to do what with repairing that jaw. I'm sure that you don't want to give her any more work. It would be quite the job if an entire four-man team were incapacitated, probably to miss class for several weeks."

The lightly veiled threat directed at them cause them to partially reconsider, and the tone of finality and frank honesty finished the deal, as they wordlessly and with their tails between their legs, slinked out of the mess with their unconscious leader slung between their shoulders.

Satisfied with a job well done, the two shinobi regressed wordlessly back to their seats among their peers still in astounded silence. They sat, and Naruto grimaced, noticing his ramen had cooled in the ensuing incident. Cold ramen was nasty, but he wasn't about to waste it. He picked up where he left off and took the chopsticks between his two praying hands, uttering a small phrase of gratitude before he reached in and took a soggy tennis ball full of noodles into his mouth.

"UZUMAKI! UCHIHA! HEADMASTER'S OFFICE! NOW!"

Was he ever going to get to have his lunch?

* * *

Sasuke and Naruto stood in front of a stoic Ozpin, Sasuke with arms crossed behind his rigid back, and Naruto standing shoulder width apart with-

"Why do you have a bowl of ramen?"

Naruto glared at the man, his mouth full. He had grown past the days when he would have tried to answer the man despite the possible irritation of Sasuke at having to translate through his gurgitation. He therefore waited to finish chewing and swallowing the increasingly soggy lump before he spoke.

"She said you wanted to see us now, and I wasn't done with lunch."

The frank, but also quite frankly stupid answer only caused Ozpin further consternation and Sasuke to sigh in shame of association. It wasn't like he could have even tried to separate the Uzumaki from his beloved noodles, but he still felt the overbearing indignity of being the only other shinobi representative in this world.

Illustrating the temperament of a very accomplished teacher of over-hormonal and stubborn warriors, Ozpin collected himself in silence until the last slurp of noodles was heard echoing above sounds of gears rotating overhead. Naruto at least had the decency to cover his mouth as he burped. Ozpin coughed, probing to see if he would be interrupted should he continue. With having set the bowl down on the ground behind him, Naruto presently gave the headmaster his utmost and serious attention.

Seeing he could now address them unimpeded, Ozpin pushed a button on his desk, and scores of near-identical videos came to life in the air all around them, each showing nearly the same scene, but from slightly different angles. It was the most recent lunchroom incident, not even a quarter-hour behind them. They saw words being spoken, but heard nothing. They saw Cardin grab Naruto, and they saw the exchange of blows and the aftermath of CRDL's retreat.

The video stopped.

"I was hoping that you were going to at least try and maintain a low profile."

"The guy had it coming." Naruto stated, his justification immune to any alternative logic.

"Oh? And do you intend to make it your job, to punish all those who 'have it coming'? To stop all discrimination against Faunus? Are you to shoulder this Sisyphean task all by yourself?" The sarcasm laced in the question was not obviously harsh, but it still had a scathing undertone that the two cringed at. Uncomprehending of all the verbiage thrown around, still, not one to relinquish his conviction so easily Naruto confronted this apparent doubt. "Every time I see it happening right in front of me, hell yeah! I can't not do something."

"I see." Ozpin stated simply. "And what about the ones that you don't see? The ones that are likely to result from this incident?" Devoid of sarcasm, that question sent a chill through Naruto, whose brain was lassoing wild thoughts into a herd, but was still struggling with a couple obstinate strays. "What do you mean?"

"You see, Cardin's father is very influential."

"I don't give a shit whose dick that guy came from." The response came automatic.

Ozpin frowned at the vulgarity, or perhaps the lack of clarity Naruto was illustrating. "You may not, but others might. Other people with the power to change things, for better or worse. People who might already have deep-seated prejudices against Faunus." Naruto shrugged. "So? There's the video right there, everyone can see who threw the first punch. Plus, ask anyone, the guy is a dick." He smirked at his apparent victory.

"True," Ozpin conceded. "And most of your fellow students seem to share your beliefs, which is heartening." He touched a button on his desk, and most of the videos dropped out, save one, and were replaced by word bubbles, individual sentences and fractions there of expressing elation and righteousness at Naruto's previous actions. He looked around, and the more he read the "Alrights!" and "Justice at last", the bigger his grin got.

"But tell me," Ozpin said, sobering up the blond as the word-bubbles dropped away. "What would happen if the general, and may I remind you mostly ignorant, public got ahold of just, say, this segment of the recording?" He pressed another button and the one remaining video screen replayed the scene of Naruto punching Cardin brutally in the jaw, and it repeated, over and over again ad inifinitum, in some sort of morbid gif image that was directed towards aficionados of violence. "Not knowing the circumstances, as outsiders would, what do you think they would see." And as Naruto watched himself strike the bully repetitively, he took in the culmination of details in the frame, the deformation of Cardin's face, the cowering of the poor girl stuck in the middle of it all, the look on team CRDLs' faces of total disbelief.

The look on his face, he noticed finally. The fury, and the satisfaction as his fist hit home. His whisker marks tracing his cheeks leading to his enlarged canines. It made sense then.

Horrible, sickening, soul-crushing sense.

Even here, it seemed, the Kyuubi was laughing at him. His whisker marks which had dwelled not but fleetingly in his conscious mind since arriving, were once again becoming a brassard of shame and hatred directed towards him. Even in this world ignorant to the beast composed of pure energy and hatred he housed in his core, he was not immune to being eschewed and ostracized, sidelined and demonized.

As Ozpin noticed the change in expression overcome the young man, he pressed on, taking pity on the boy by trying to wrap up his little lesson. "You are beginning to see just what is wrong, beneath the façade of peace in our world. Violence in this case only begets violence, and the resulting escalation only leads to war. I don't need another sword to fight a battle that should be avoided. I need a scalpel. That's why I have made you two the way you are in this world: minimally visible. Sadly, that does not translate for immunity to your friends or anyone else you come into contact with. They will bear the brunt of your enemy's reprisals."

Naruto continued to grow sicker, hearing Ozpin's words and extrapolating the consequences in his mind. All the awful things that could happen to those around him, because the people he beat wanted to hurt him, but couldn't.

"Fortunately," Ozpin's more jovial voice stopped Naruto's descent. "Glynda alerted me immediately, as soon as the incident started, and so I was able to put a lock down on all signals leaving the school, so we can, and have managed to contain this incident to those who were present. There is no stopping the word of mouth, though, but all in all it could have been a lot worse."

The relief washed over Naruto, but it did not cleanse his sullied terra ferma. He replayed the first part of Ozpin's sentence though, and diminutive realization dawned along with that alleviation. Glynda had been there the whole time. That meant that she had tacitly approved of Naruto's actions. That thought proved some soothing aloe to these fresh wounds. He was beginning to regard the woman in a new light, where she wasn't the stern and ill-humored headmistress she had embodied since he arrived. Maybe she really was more like Tsunade than he thought? Perhaps their relation didn't have to be a constant transform fault, grating against one another at every movement.

Fatigue, though, quickly rushed in to fill the high watermark left by the stress. He was far more tired and sullen than he had felt in quite some time, and knew that he couldn't do anything more productively today. So as the two were unceremoniously excused to return to classes once again commenced, Naruto detached himself from Sasuke, not without the other boy's tacit consent, and slunk away to contemplate and hopefully alleviate the quagmire the latest flood of conflict had perpetrated. At the moment, it seemed insurmountable a task, feeling as if armed with only a thimble with which to bail out his sunken mind.

The svelte specter of Glynda emerged from the shadows of the room in the waning afternoon sun once the doors to the elevator closed to whisk the two boys away. She had once again played silent observer to Ozpin's handling of his two newest tools. Though, she wasn't sure if that was the most apt description, not anymore. Sasuke, perhaps, could be honed into what Ozpin had desired of the two. She was unsure of the more empathetic Naruto, though. She had revised her original attempts to categorize and contain the boy. No longer was he a Kevorkian blade which had to be kept at a length with a pair of tongs. No, he was as skilled as the other, but he could never be as subtle as they desired. He was just too pure, to obvious. He was a claymore to be wielded by two hands, and could be used as a beacon of inspiration to unite, or to cleave their world in twain. But in any of the possibilities, she was reluctant to sully that honed and consecrated blade.

These past few hours had demonstrated to her the boy's unpolluted integrity and determination. She was so troubled at the thought of him having now to shoulder the burdens that they would need of him, yet knew she could do nothing to stop him from willingly bearing this cross to his martyrdom. She would try and prevent this outcome, of course, but had a sneaking suspicion that neither she nor Ozpin could mitigate the imminent collision of worlds.

* * *

The drooping afternoon sun had spit out Sasuke to return his unrevealing self to classes, but as night took the reins it had yet to relinquish the sunny boy who had been swallowed by the spectral authority hours earlier.

Blake was disappointed at this result thus far. She was not actively seeking out the boy, for it would probably seem a strange action given their previous interactions, or lack thereof. This did seem to be a particularly strange day, however, and certainly a defining one for Blake herself. She had certainly been trying recently to identify the nagging suspicion she could not forgo about the two strange boys. For the sake of the rest of her team who, baring Weiss, seemed to have become quite compatible with them. Even the girl with the icy demeaner had thawed somewhat to a level of detente with her opposite number, and tolerated Naruto to the extent that she tolerated Yang.

The closet-Faunus had been having a hard time identifying the origin of her trepidation, which seemed to exist even after the two displays by the blond today. The first reiterating his reluctance at harming one of his fellow students, or at least as far as the second demonstrated, which would be negated at ne demonstrating behavior that could be dubbed uncouth or unfair. She had decided in the hours of contemplation allowed to her hours after the fact, that it was the sheer honesty proffered by the young man in question. She had a hard time believing in the sincerity of his conviction because she herself could not imagine being so self-assured in her righteousness. She had decided against much protest from her own consciousness, that she herself could not relinquish culpability for previous actions, and so could not bring herself to believe in another being so much morally adroit.

This was a shameful realization.

She knew that she had to correct this at some point, but wasn't in a particular hurry to do so. Accosting the boy would be an awkward experience for the both of them. She would have to admit to having been innately suspicious of him for some time, and having revealed that, she might be tempted to unburden herself of her other secrets as well. She wasn't quite ready for that, no matter how genuine he seemed, she wasn't yet ready to entrust that bit of information with her own team even.

Fate, or cosmic coincidence seemed to take any choice away from her and desired to remedy the issue immediately. She had once again succumbed to her primal desire to flit about in the shadows insisted upon her by her feline component, and was silently prowling around the night-veiled campus grounds. Her adept night vision had not immediately caught the still blond head and body camouflaged oddly enough in the quarter-moon.

He was little more than a cherub statue sitting upon one of the benches installed on the green to provide a quiet pace to rest and admire the fecund beauty of the Emerald Forest, from a safe distance, of course. He certainly was not cognizant of her approach as his mind seemed too lost in the deep woods ahead. She wasn't even sure if he was aware of her additional presence as she had a seat on the bench's other end.

"I hope Cardin didn't hit you too hard this afternoon."

It was stupid and quiet as any a greeting had been, but the catatonic boy did not so much as stir at the softly proffered statement. Resigned after a pregnant pause at the concept of not receiving an answer, Blake turned her gaze to follow the young man's as it gazed into the night and beyond.

"Was…."

The voice so soft and foreign to her was a dreamlike whisper in the calm.

"Was what I did today wrong?"

Out of anything he could have asked or demanded of her, she was abjectly unprepared for this question, though was not sure how she ever could have been. She herself was hardly the one to ask about concepts such as right and wrong, still mired in past transgressions. And the question, though laced throughout with vulnerability, pointed a bony finger of accusation at her guilty conscious. She herself allowed a healthy silence before having to wet her lips and replying in an almost equally thin tone.

"Right and wrong, are subjective concepts." Weak. Indecisive. Clarify. Decide. "Violence isn't always the right course of action. Some people, even the majority, may have agreed with your decision, but that doesn't make it right." Pot and kettle, the pair of them both black that night. "But," but you're not me, you're not yet tainted. "But the people that matter, the people that care about you, know that you intended to do good, and they appreciate that. Ruby, Yang and the others all were just as frustrated with him. They understand and will stick with you, no matter what. I- " I what? Blake questioned to herself. I have taken the plunge that I know you couldn't? I couldn't trust you because I still can't trust myself? "I know you are a good person, Naruto." I know it, now.

Naruto clenched his fist, white knuckles paler even in the scant moonlight. 'How could you know? If I could tell you the truth, would you believe it then?'

When he spoke again to her, she caught the iridescent pearls of tears forming at the corners of his blue eyes, still unblinkingly fixated on some faraway object.

"You don't know that. You can't be sure of that." Silently imploring her to her to contradict this, even though he knew it was true. She would not disappoint him. Not this time, nor ever again. Her olive-skinned hand brushed the radiating warmth of his and startled, his attention finally broke to his companion in the darkness, teary eyes seemingly as acute in the dimness as they caught hers. Her own brand of determination embossed on her face as she spoke, a book revealing immutable fact.

"I know. I can see it. Trust me. Trust your friends. You belong."

And for the moment, he would believe this, the ghoulish form of doubt retreating to its prison, tears falling not to be replaced for the time being.

"Come on." She gave his hands the gentlest of squeezes as she sublimated from the bench and beckoned him to follow. "Ruby's making cookies. Said something about a slumber party. I'm sure they wouldn't mind having you there."

A familiar and yet novel smile appeared from the darkness as he hopped off the bench. Wordless acquiescence led them back towards the dorms.

"Hey Blake?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

Obviously. "It's what friends do."

Indeed. Somewhere in the dark cocoon of night the two had indeed emerged evolved. What this new stage of life and the experiences it would bring would be a mystery to be explored by all of them.

Naruto just hoped they weren't going to tell ghost stories. He was terrified of ghosts.

But, he had friends he could rely on.


	7. My Strange Uncles From Abroad

The still morning fog not yet eschewed by the rising sun concealed in a damp shroud the uneven tattoo of sharp drumbeats, skin and flesh being struck repeatedly. A chime of mammalian grunts accompanied the muted cacophony and fell on the edge of the woods. Shadows danced back and forth in the thick mist, cold flames licking one another in the pre-dawn gloom.

Two forms, two figures congealed with the catalyst of the sun's peak over the horizon. They were the dancing flames competing against each other in the darkness, burning all around them in their attempt to become brighter, consuming what was given and what they could reach. Their glow showing one another the way.

Blond was pitted against raven yet again, in less mortal a situation, but no less profound. Naruto and Sasuke had been awakening well before dawn for near two weeks now to insert their own brand of training into the daily regime already provided by their school. Neither was to deride the wisdom of attendance, but knew that they could not allow their own methods and forms to atrophy. They had agreed since the first that they would irrevocably partners, less their assigned position and more their chance fate.

The homely bridge spanning the calm waters of youth had been broken those weeks ago, at the valley of the end. What they were attempting now, was a goliath project, a suspension bridge being pieced together over raging waters. It would take months and perhaps years, and would never be as attractively innocent as the one they both left far down stream. But it promised to be solid, and to be able to weather years if both states were diligent in maintenance. It was the promise of a better tomorrow for the both of them that maintained their drive and motivated progress, no matter how blind it seemed.

The gains they won were small and hard won, but they each had no reason not to push each other to the very limits of their ability. They each knew that they could not expect the progress that would be possible with a dedicated teacher, but each had the other as a sounding board for ideas and alternative viewpoints.

Experimentation with their home world's techniques became easier upon Naruto's late discovery. They had arrived in this world with few supplies, only the items in their utility pouches. The items that this world's armorers could replicate had been, on the day of their initiation. However, they were both left with a paucity of seal items. Together they had only three explosive tags and a solitary sealing scroll. Neither had even the basics of sealing techniques, but were both well aware of the potential danger of experimenting without prior knowledge, especially when it came to high explosives.

However, it was evident that to keep pace with the weapons possessed by the other students, they would either need to obtain and learn how to utilized the tools produced by the go-to power source in this world: dust. This was still a viable option, should they ever request of Ozpin an operating budget or sourced another way to obtain them. Still, they wished to somehow replicate their familiar armaments, for both ease of use and for their potential element of surprise against an unfamiliar opponent.

Thus, Naruto found his own. Sasuke had suggested Naruto use his clones to test their experimentations, at a goodly safe distance, of course. The first few results had been less than spectacular, fizzling quickly or simply catching flame, or more often than not, doing nothing at all. As they began to hone in on what the critical elements of the sealing matrix were, they thought it more prudent to produce them far away from where they could harm either of the two. So this precluded Sasuke from the process, as Naruto sent his clones out into the forest during the whole process. Eventually the problems were identified and with an army of clones at his disposal, Naruto was more than capable of manufacturing tags enough for the both of them on a daily basis.

Of course, it was not Naruto himself that discovered these problems, but rather his clones. The ability of the clones hidden in plain sight all this time had been their capability to transfer knowledge to the creator after being dispelled, which had been discovered after sending the clones off to do their own experiments with the tags far away from human risk.

And once they both had learned this, the possibilities became endless. Well, as endless as the pertinent sections of the library which had been, minimally speaking, a chore to get Naruto to enter. It had taken all of Sasuke's skill of persuasion spiced with threats of bodily harm, and finally the timely appearance of Goodwitch at one of the physical attempts to manually drag the blond in doors and her subsequent annoyance with the disturbance the both were causing. Sasuke had been mightily annoyed at once again being lumped in with the obtuse boy, but their punishment was, ironically enough, supplementary studying in the library. He would take that as a victory.

So here they were, taking advantage of the morning away from classes and prying eyes in order to hone the hand-to-hand techniques that they had uncovered in some of the library's older sections in books that looked as if they had attempted to blow away the dust, the pages would have gone with it. They were improving, but it was becoming evident that they were reaching a plateau, one that would potentially need another player in order to surmount.

"Achoo!"

Jaune was by no means an early riser. He was used to it, sure. School mandated that he rise at a reasonable hour, and previously sharing a household with seven women meant that he needed to get up early in order to be able to use the bathroom before noon. He had thought he had left this behind him though, when he moved to Beacon. Unfortunately according to Pyrrha, this was to be one of the few times available to Jaune for practice, and was the only time he would catch the two students he sought outside of class.

Once again, being raised with six sisters had yielded certain unanticipated benefits, one of these was humility. Not to say that Jaune didn't possess his own sense of pride. He might have eventually accepted his teammate's offer of supplementary training at night, in fact he still might, but at the same time he felt more of a kindred spirit with the two boys, being, well boys. It might be a little embarrassing, seeing as he was so much older than the two, but he was very much sick of eating humble pie being beaten by Cardin day in and day out.

After witnessing the blond a good head and shoulders smaller than his lanky stature handily take care of the meathead, Jaune had exchanged his hopelessness for conviction, and the rest, they say is history.

So as he plodded his way out to the edge of the forest where the training grounds were situated, he was aware of the sounds of combat and soon came up the two already engaged what Jaune thought of as a fairly heated sparring match.

The two were fast-unbelievably so to the young man. Sasuke had always been the faster of the two, though with their additional sparring sessions and exercises in between, Naruto seemed to be quickly closing this gap. His technique was still less polished than the precision strikes demonstrated by his peer, who was a spider with his lightning strikes and arms that seemed to be everywhere at once to block the blond's rebuttals. Naruto was a storm. He seemed to be everywhere around Sasuke at once, buffeting his sparring partner and tearing him from his position ensconced in his web of reaction. Jaune stood awed, unable to speak.

Eventually the inevitable happened and Naruto dropped his guard. Sasuke sent a shattering hook to Naruto's jaw, and immediately followed it up with kick with his right to the other boy's gut, putting a safe distance between the combatants. Naruto tumbled for a split second but was not dissuaded form the fight as he placed himself seamlessly back on the balls of his feet, and was about to launch himself back into the fray, when he pause seeing Sasuke's hand extended in a request at pause.

He lowered his hand and without removing his gaze from Naruto still crouched in ready stance to reengage, he addressed Jaune. "What do you want?"

Startled perhaps at his own recognition of his presence in the scene, Jaune was left stumbling over numbed words. "I-I-um…" He swallowed, saliva pride and fear. At what, exactly? "I need help." He admitted at last. A derisive scoff from the raven-haired boy was a kick to his prostrate self-image. Naruto watched the exchange without interference. Though Jaune was talking to the both of them, Naruto knew that Sasuke had previously addressed the boy's issues, and wanted to see if this request would prompt any new reaction from his stoic partner.

"Why would we help you?" Sasuke was passively including Naruto in the decision, something he was mildly upset at, being spoken for without asking his position. He held sympathy for the older boy. His awkwardness was not without corollaries in his own life, and he of course was never one to dismiss a potential friend so easily. Still, he held his tongue to give Sasuke the benefit of the doubt.

Jaune didn't have an answer, unfortunately. He had asked himself this answer, as early as the previous night when he had first cogitated on asking the two unknown youths for assistance after Ruby and he had had a heart-to-heart about Jaune's misgivings at being a leader. He was ready to accept his current failings, but was also ready to accept that he needed to expend significant effort to improve for his team's sake.

"I-I don't have much to offer. I'm not strong, I'm not that smart. I'm certainly not rich." Sasuke regarded him coldly, his gaze steeling further at the apparent suggestion that someone like him could be swayed by something as pedestrian as money. "But," Jaune began after a pause. "I need to get stronger. For my sake, for my teams, so that I can protect the people that matter to me. So I'm not…" he clenched his fists at his side, "…so I'm no longer a burden."

This touched Naruto deeply, he too had uttered very similar words not long ago. He shifted his gaze to his still silent friend, wondering how these words so similar to the ones given in a land far away, under a mist of solemnity as thick affected him.

Sasuke had thorough practice at his poker face, and betrayed nothing behind that steely regard.

"Your sword." Indicated the teen.

"Huh?" Jaune blinked at the sudden non-sequitur.

"Your sword," Sasuke reiterated. "Do you know how to use it?"

Jaune's hand went to his side where the blade that had been partner to dozens of generations of Arcs weighted his belt. He clasped the handle and drew the dull silver blade into the gaining day, the storied steel shining in ghostly light in the breaking mist. "It's been in my family for generations. I learned some of the forms before I left, but I never got through them all." Jaune said despondently. "But," He perked back up. "I'm sure I could get my sisters to send them to me here at Beacon."

Nodding, Sasuke seemed moderately satisfied. Naruto had not yet fully grasped the line of questioning, but he could see a deal being formed with the few words exchanged. It seemed that they would have a new sparring partner for the foreseeable future.

* * *

This was death, wasn't it? It must be. No, wait, it hurt way too much.

And the frenetic ramblings of Professor, sorry, **Doctor** Oobleck pounding into his deranged head wasn't helping much. Jaune was already starting to regret asking the two little devils for help improving himself. He hurt in so many places, he was sure they were doing this just to torture him, it couldn't be that this was how they themselves trained. Actually, thinking about the way he had seen Naruto fight Pyrrha the day before, and later the two of them in a 'friendly' spar, he could believe it.

Not that he wanted to contemplate anything other than how many excruciating minutes remained until he could crawl back into bed. Too many.

Naruto and Sasuke didn't seem to be phased at all even though they had done much of the exercises right along with him. At least Naruto had, Sasuke had 'supervised' while sometimes providing 'motivation' in the form of pointy objects thrown their way every time he felt them to be slacking off. Naruto too had his head down, resting his forehead on the table, but that was probably due to Oobleck's lecture and Naruto's inability to concentrate on anything not directly pertaining to fighting. History, even when being recounted at a caffeine-fueled blur, just went way to slowly in his opinion.

"Yes, yes, prior to the Faunus' Rights Revolution, more commonly known as the Faunus War, the humans quite, quite adamant about compartmentalizing the Faunus in Menagerie. Now, while this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day! How many of you in this room have been subject to discrimination because of your Faunus heritage?"

Thought the words had been fired on automatic at the crowd of unsuspecting students, they did defend themselves eventually, a scant few Faunus raising their hands in affirmation, including, Naruto noticed, the girl he had defended from Cardin the other day, after some hesitance. Despite displaying a vacant and unconscious air, Naruto was in fact wide awake and alert, and this particular interjection by Oobleck did not help him to gain any ground on the search for sleep. He was still very much affected by Ozpin's redressing of his actions the other day. He didn't like seeing other people get treated the way he used to, but he couldn't help but wonder how many of those hands raised in this moment were up because of his actions against Cardin.

Speaking of the boy, he was not looking too amused, despite malevolent but furtive glares sent towards the Faunus with hands raised. He had shown up to class with a neck brace, and to the benefit of all the students present, could not talk because of wires having been inserted into his jaw, which would take at least a week to heal. He was, however, making the most of what body parts were still functional and his hands like a dung beetle worked away at a piece of paper shaping it into a projectile.

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!" Oobleck continued nonplussed at the bravery of the students admitting to being victimized. "Now! Who can tell me what many scholars believe was the turning point in the third year of the war?"

Weiss, alert and arrogant as always provided the answer. "The Battle at Fortcastle."

"Precisely! And now, can anyone tell me what advantage the Faunus had over General Lagoon's forces?"

Cardin by this time had finished his parody of a football constructed from a paper whose contents were far forgotten. He had chosen the obvious target of Jaune still very much trying to emulate the dead and sent the paper flying with a flick. It was caught midair well before it even got close to Jaune's vicinity. A single blue eye turned and glared out from the row above Jaune, Naruto's simple stare more than ample deterrence, and enough to turn Cardin sickly green when undiluted rage quickly shifted to abject fear at the iciness the blond regarded him with.

"Yes! Mr. Uzumaki, what is the answer!" Oobleck had seen the alacrity with which the hand had been raised to respond to his question and appreciated the dedication his students seemed to be administering to his class.

"Eh?" Though he had been paying attention to the lecture more or less, his attention had been diverted by Cardin and he had missed the question.

"Ummm….."

Already running at well above the speed limit, Oobleck was not one to entertain stalling and shook his head in disappointment at the lack of a correct response.

"Ms. Belladonna, perhaps you could tell us the right answer?"

"Faunus have excellent night vision. General Lagoon was a fool to launch his main attack during the night, when the Faunus clearly had the advantage."

"Precisely! Mr. Uzumaki, I think you could do with a bit of a review, please stay after class so we can revisit the required reading."

Naruto's head crashed back into the desk with an dejected finality while he swore he could hear his partner seated next to him snickering at his suffering. Figures, every time he tries to do something nice for someone…

* * *

Class had continued for what felt like an additional eternity, and by the end Naruto had forgotten about his punishment. He had immediately made a beeline for the door before the speedy instructor summarily caught the escapee and plunked him back down in his seat while the other students filed out, certain members of teams RWBY and JNPR shooting him sympathetic glances during their egress.

The room was void of persons save for the professor and himself, and very soon the tangible weight of the textbook that was deposited in front of him with a resounding thump. Naruto swore he heard the desk crack.

"Pages 44 to 138 Mr. Uzumaki. Summary at the end."

He could have cried, but that would have been showing the book weakness. He could care less what the verdant haired professor thought of him, though he wanted to remain in his good graces for at least the first semester. So, resignation started him on the top of the first assigned page which the book had miraculously enough opened too. It was like all the previous students had only ever gotten to this page before they keeled over in defeat and it just kept being opened to this one spot over and over. Or maybe it was his imagination once again inserting itself into his concentration and mitigating any attempts at study.

It took a full ten minutes to parse out the first page filled with verbiage he was fairly certain could do with a foreign dictionary to translate when the door quietly opened. Oobleck was unsurprised at the visitor and greeted them amicably. "Ah! Ms. Goodwitch. Thank you very much for coming to take over. I really must be getting those records to the Vale Historical Society before they leave for the night. I trust Mr. Uzumaki will not be too much of a handful."

As the greeting continued, so did the oncoming sense of dread in Naruto at the thought of being subject to the intensive scrutiny of Goodwitch. Sure, his opinion may have changed slightly about her, but he was fairly sure he was still not on her list of favorite people, especially if he was being handed to her supervision for his ill attention in class.

"I'm sure we will be just fine, Bartholomew. Uzumaki won't be any trouble, will you?"

He shook his head releasing a rain of sweat like a dog ridding itself of excess dampness.

"Good. Well, until tomorrow, then. Good luck."

But the hyper man was already packed up and out the door by the end of her address. In the remaining silence, Goodwitch and Naruto looked at one another before she released a silent command, taking up Ooobleck's abandoned chair and Naruto returned to his assignment.

He once again tried to concentrate, but found it increasingly difficult with her presence. He couldn't help but wither under what he was sure was her disapproving glance. He swore he could feel her eyes constantly glaring holes through his blond locks into his thick skull, but whenever he chanced glance up at the woman, she was engrossed in one of her many papers that accompanied her into the class. She seemed to be grading, someone else, not present, though.

Naruto sighed and buried his head in the book at frustration, both at situation and his inability to cope with it. This did not go unnoticed by Goodwitch, however and she appraised Naruto from the gold horizons of her glasses.

"Is there something the matter, Mr. Uzumaki?"

'Yeah, you!' Naruto wanted to shout out in anguish, but he knew it was just a vindictive and untrue statement that would do much more harm than good. The crux was a problem that stemmed farther back than his introduction to the blonde woman, farther back even than his entry to this world. Disapproval, derision, seemed to accompany him everywhere like an obstinate wad of gum on his shoe. He couldn't help but interpret teacher's looks at him as contempt or at the very least frustration with his halting progress. He grit his teeth as he glared at the offending pages as if he could burn them away and the assignment along with them.

Glynda could palpably feel the boy's distress. She had had to constantly revise her own opinion on the boy, several times since the two of them had appeared from the sky that fateful day not a month hence. Most recently, she had appraised the boy after both his spar in her class, and his infamous lunchroom incident. While she did not approve of his hotheaded response to Cardin, she had empathized with his frustrations and appreciated his intent to do what was morally just.

He also displayed admirable skill and restraint with his battle with Pyrrha Nikos. He could have used weapons to deadly effect, but forwent that option in favor of bare hands. He also could have taken full advantage of her distraction to land a powerful blow at the end, but he chose not to, seeing he had the advantage of surprise.

He was loud, boisterous, uncouth, rambunctious and more. But he was also kind, thoughtful, and a person of great fortitude and integrity.

To the extent that she could admit herself an age and disposition to be such, she would admit a kindling feeling of maternal affection for the boy. It was obvious that he was misplaced in their world, and she doubted if he had yet to find his place in his own. He was at that age, perhaps younger than he might have been had he been raised in Vale, but it was undoubtable that he was experiencing an existential crisis, only compounded by his sudden translation here. She could have no idea what that must feel like.

She had little matronly practice as well, so rather than attempt to reach the boy through such means, she decided to play to her strengths.

She would be stalwart in her desire to teach him.

Gentle as a breeze she stood from the chair previously occupied by her colleague and drifted to Naruto still mired in consternation. He was genuinely startled when her hand gently gripped his shoulder, and the look he gave her was an expression becoming of a rabbit Faunus, not one deigned for Naruto Uzumaki. It melted her heart and it dripped down into her stomach. It was so wrong.

"Are you alright, Naruto?" It was not really these words, but the ones behind them he responded to.

"I-" he really didn't know what to say, to do, with this woman he had so recently kept well outside of arm's reach. His inherent colander for sifting out the best qualities of people rattled and shook him under the compassionate look she bequeathed him, and the toxic pit that had been buried was exposed at last.

"I-"

He could feel the moister collecting in the corners of his eyes, turning the pages still in front of him into a kaleidoscope of color. His hand threatening to tear the corners of the book came up to cast off the tears not yet shed. He didn't want to cry in front of her. He didn't even know himself why this anguish manifested itself now like a sudden rain shower.

Glynda knew. Naruto was up against a wall with his learning. He was trapped and lacked the means to continue.

"Can-can you help me?" His eyes were a hesitant question though his words betrayed nothing.

"Yes, Naruto, I do believe I can."

* * *

Sasuke was in an abnormally good mood, by the barometer of the stoic teen, of course. He had enjoyed the rest of his morning and afternoon in uninterrupted solitude. Naruto had been less grating on his nerves as of late, but he was still grateful for the afternoon of absence. Of course, without his ever-energetic companion, he was devoid of a sparring partner this afternoon.

Deciding that doing nothing during this period free of duties and classes would be an inexcusable waste, however, he retraced his morning's trail back to the training ground most removed from the campus proper. It was, he supposed, no great shock that three persons had already taken up occupancy when he finally arrived. Naruto and he had only ever used this particular field in the wee hours of the morning, the afternoon normally reserved for scholastic study or research.

He was not deterred from approaching the congregation, however, because he recognized the distinct profile of team JNPR, minus Jaune, who presumably was recovering after their, what he considered, 'light' morning workout.

The assembled group did not at first notice his approach, his black shirt and earth tone shorts doing an admirable job of concealing his smaller form in the shadows of the tree-lined path, growing ever thicker in the descending afternoon sun.

Pyrrha, ever alert and with an added advantage of height over her two teammates, was the first to catch on to his presence.

"Hello, Sasuke!"

The jovial greeting was replied with a simple nod as he came within the radar of the rest of the members who both had their backs facing his approach. Ren reciprocated the nod. He was one of the more compatible people Sasuke had met at their academy, however interactions with the older boy were curbed by his neurotic avatar, who upon noticing Sasuke began to frantically wave.

"Duck-Butt!"

Sasuke was well on his way to developing a nervous tick. Naruto had absently let slip that particular insult in her presence and Nora had taken to it, well, like a duck to water. Yang had also been endeared to the apropos nonmonic, but refused to settle for that alone, constantly rebuilding Lego-bricks of endless derision and stupidity until she found one that would truly drive the young man into senselessness.

Nora was close.

Deciding that any sort of reaction would only encourage the young woman, Sasuke remained petulantly silent, hands shoved in his pockets in an ingrained and aloof slouch.

"It is good to see you, Sasuke. We were going to have a team spar now, but apparently thanks to you and Naruto, we are short a member. Perhaps you could assume Jaune's place?" Pyrrha cheerily suggested. It was not an unbearable suggestion to the shinobi, who had intended on doing some practice of his own. A spar against opponents was a far better gauge of his improvement, and he had not until now had much of a chance to fight against skilled opponents, other than his fellow ninja. He reiterated his silent reply.

Sasuke and Ren stood at either end of the field, mirrored by the two girls of team JNPR. It was a wordless division that had precipitated this arrangement, Ren tacitly following Sasuke as he separated from the rest.

They each stood lax, but invariably ready to move at a moment's notice, Pyrrha and Nora the only ones visibly excited by the prospective spar. The moment came through unspoken accord without a particular trigger, but Ren and Sasuke were on the same wavelength as one threw a handful of shuriken and the other a small volley of dust-rounds in between the two women opposite. Though they had never fought, either opposed or together, Sasuke and Ren knew each other's fighting style, and deemed it the most reasonable course of action that they try and separate Pyrrha and Nora. Sasuke would be the only one capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Amazonian, and Ren knew Nora's fighting style as well as his own.

The two females however, were not as ignorant as Nora presented herself. Pyrrha, ignoring the volley brought her shield in defense of the both of them, the other diminutive girl easily being concealed behind Pyrrha's intimidating form. They were both well aware of the prudent action the two boys had adopted, and aimed to do the reciprocal, the two of them would blitz Sasuke and incapacitate what was assumed to be the larger, and generally unknown threat before dealing with the other boy.

Undeterred by their coordinated defense, Sasuke and Ren knowingly played into their adversaries plan, and commenced a simultaneous approach on either side of Pyrrha's guard. Attempting to abort the pincer maneuver as the two began surrounding and constricting their target, Nora, back supported by the larger woman lobbed a clutch of grenades at the spot where the other pair would converge.

Speed as a forte proved reliable for the intended targets, and their sudden acceleration when crossing caused the rounds to fall short of both, and Sasuke had already been prepared with a counter move of his own, and released a Great Fireball at the defenders, necessitating they dodge, and in accordance with the initial plan, they did so in either direction, Nora lunging off to the right of the fireball, and Pyrrha pirouetting to the left, so that Sasuke faced her now alone.

He drew a kunai to each hand, in preparation for close combat with the girl's spear and shield. He knew the nature of her semblance, it was he who had alerted Naruto to its nature before the spar. It meant little to the other boy, who was perfectly content to use non-lethal hand combat against a friendly opponent. Sasuke could have gone this course as well, forgoing the blades in favor of using his superior speed to overcome the other's weapons, but he wanted to probe her strength. She had so far been very conservative in the use of her semblance, choosing to use subtle nudges to both her own and her adversary's weapons to put them where she wanted them. Sasuke wanted to test the limits of this, though.

He began his furious attack, overwhelming her with his superior speed. She could keep up well enough with Naruto, who admittedly had improved in the few short weeks, but Sasuke was still on another level.

Twin cobras, fangs bared lunged at Pyrrha from either and soon every side as Sasuke gradually increased the pace of the dance they were engaged in. She had been able to keep up moderately well at first, blocking the strikes and throwing the odd counter at even a half-second's pause. Seconds into the exchange she felt like a novice ballerina trying not to step on her own feet as she backpedaled and dodged the knives' whistling barbs.

A strike that would have given her a deep nick had it not been for her Aura enshrouding her pushed her past her self-imposed abstinence and she began to use her semblance to repel the onslaught.

This was precisely what Sasuke was waiting for, however. A flechette of a strike aimed at her face and too fast to dodge caught her off-guard and she used a greater amount of her semblance than she had in all fights previous in an effort to divert the blade. The blade itself went flying as Sasuke purposefully let it go, he hand and arm continuing on their trajectory to the woman.

He grabbed on to the top of her breastplate, gaining a solid handhold, and brought his rear knee up as he pulled the woman into the close-range strike. Pyrrha reaffirmed her adroitness in Sasuke's eyes as she rolled with the unexpected move and moved in cohesion with his pull to bring her armored forehead into a vicious headbutt that sent Sasuke sprawling. His eyes tearing up at his very nearly shattered nose, and idly wondered if she hadn't been spying on their early morning spars and had taken a page from his partner's book of tricks.

He was quick to recover, and rolled back onto his feet, another volley of shuriken already in his grip, and he released them towards the woman still appreciating the effect of her counter. She was forced once again to lean on her semblance as she was not balanced enough to affect a dodge. The Shuriken parted like a wave on either side of her, as anticipated.

One of the shuriken amidst the school swimming around the redhead was laced with a strand of ninja-wire, which Sasuke maneuvered with his Chakra into an arc which would double back and encircle the Athenian. Finally gaining some breathing room, and unable to predict the thrown weapon's unprecedented behavior, Pyrrha had brought herself into a defensive posture, shield raised towards the retreated shinobi and spear arm cocked behind.

Her peripheral vision caught the return of the shuriken, in time enough to start to duck under its noose. Sasuke had finished his sequence of seals by this time, and had already sent a fireball down the length of the wire towards the unaware warrior. Had he been fighting another shinobi, he would have been fairly confident at the move's effectiveness, given no obvious object with which to affect a replacement. He was aware, however, that fighting this breed of warrior meant pushing past their protective Aura, so he refused to drop his guard as his adversary was all but consumed by the blaze.

He was not disappointed nor unprepared as a salvo of shot emerged from the dying flames. Rather than retreat, where he would become little more than a squirrely rat fleeing her aim, he once again pressed the attack.

He was cut short, as a rather heavy body collided with his own, sending the both of them into a pretzel of tangled limbs. He had forgotten about his partner in this fight and his opposite number. Fighting exclusively with Naruto was making him complacent.

It was his turn to be forced on the defensive as a shadowy eclipse preluded an Olympian hammer from very likely crushing his skull. He had detached himself from Ren and was between several rocks being ejected from the impact, and a very hard place, or rather shield intercepting him from the other side.

It was time to kick it up a notch. He had no desire to use any of his deadlier techniques in a friendly spar, less for the damage they might inflict, and more so that they would remain an ace in his sleeve should he need it. He was not remiss about swallowing his pride if it meant that in a life or death he might walk away. Still, he didn't like to lose.

He stuck his foot to the ground and lowered his center of gravity as the live battering ram made contact. He intercepted the shield and stuck to that as well, as he aimed to throw both woman and accoutrements over his hip. It was satisfyingly effective, as Pyrrha herself has visually blind form behind her shield, she couldn't much anticipate the maneuver, and would not recover as quickly as desired as she was sent into the re-engaging Nora.

The smaller girl was forced to abort the attack and catch her teammate, only to let out a squeak of surprise as her own usual partner resumed his position next to Sasuke and proceeded to empty the remainder of his clips at the two preoccupied girls.

Though he was remiss at the thought of using his Chidori, he would borrow its form in his next move. As his partner's guns clicked empty and before the dust from the hailstorm settled, Sasuke had one hand gripped in the other, a blunted arrow without the electric blade that he then loosed. He moved far faster than any of the older students had yet to see him move, and was aimed strait for the still flummoxed Pyrrha.

She was not totally defenseless, but had only barely raised her shield in between herself and the human ballista. Sasuke's hand, steadied by the other knocked the hastily rendered defense to the side and plunged deep into her gut. Her breath was stolen by the surprising velocity of the attack, and she was sent into one of the many trees encircling the training ground.

Not far behind, Sasuke resumed his attack sans auxiliary weapon. Pyrrha had dropped her shield at the previous strike, and had hardly appreciated his proximity when the fists started raining on her. She still had the advantage of reach that she intended to milk as long as she could, stabbing and slashing with her recently transformed Miló. Sasuke with admirable endurance, did not dilute his assault. He kept being pushed back in effort to dodge the razor-sharp blade, only to weave in and out among his own strikes that oscillated between connecting and falling short.

One connected to her chin and sent her back into retreat against the corner she had not yet escaped. In a desperate bid, she summoned the last of her energy and semblance to thrust at Sasuke who looked to be preparing a finished strike. She was horrified as he did not stop his advance and ran himself onto her blade.

There was a half-beat as Sasuke seemed to register that he should no longer be able to move and eyes widened in realization of mortality. This was quickly ended, however when he disappeared in an increasingly familiar puff of smoke, only for the clink of metal against metal to ring out throughout the unprecedented silence of the field, and her shield, previously forgotten, dropped out from the dispersing cloud.

A matte steel blade hovered over her throat held by an arm extended out to her right.

"Yield."

Mind catching up on events, Pyrrha blinked away the surprise and swallowed the defeat whole, showing no signs of its bitterness and smiled.

"I do."

Their own match concluded, they looked over to see their two companions equally bedraggled and panting, seemingly at a standstill. Nora and Ren had noticed the sudden stillness of the arena, and looked to see Sasuke in a position to end their mutual teammate. He dropped his armed limb when they recognized that the spar had concluded, the two of them in not much of a position to continue, and rather than push the other boy to bring up the realities included with a hostage, they let the throws of combat slump off of their tensed shoulders.

Pyrrha had righted herself from leaning on the tree, and with her other two cohorts coming over to converse about the match, she extended her hand to the victor.

"That was a fun match Sasuke, I am very impressed. I had not expected you to be so fast. It seems I have a habit of underestimating the two of you. I will not make that mistake again."

Sasuke fully believed this statement. He vowed to get stronger without revealing his trump card, so the next time he would not be defeated by the renewed conviction of the older girl. It was refreshing, actually, to have an opponent, other than Naruto, motivated whole-heartedly by the fight and thrill of having a competent adversary. He took her hand in acceptance of the proffered olive-branch and found himself actually looking forward to the proposed rematch.

* * *

"So, Naruto," Glynda had rounded the desk and had taken a seat next to the boy awkwardly eschewing his gaze. "what is it that is giving you trouble?" He spoke a mouthful of words to his shoulder.

Glynda blinked. "Naruto, if I am to help you, you need to be able to talk to me. Could you repeat that, please?"

Naruto sighed in resignation at the fate his moment of weakness had occasioned. "I, can't really read that well." Goodwitch blinked in her fixated stare at the side of the boy's head, silently waiting for elaboration. "Where I, where we, came from, I was an orphan, and the teachers didn't really want to help me, so I had to learn to read by myself. I still have a lot of trouble reading and writing."

This was the laminated truth, aged Formica over the fact that it had taken him years before he could get through even children's books because no one was willing to sit down and explain to him how certain words were pronounced and what they meant. His own chicken-scratch writing had been hard learned through solitary practice and had evolved into something of a private cryptogram that only he could decipher.

This deficit had been causing him no small amount of personal trauma over his lifetime, and seemed to be festering once again after being healed when he became a ninja and believed that he would not have to deal with reading and writing again in his career. He had purposefully ignored the fact that he constantly saw the Sadaime immersed in a deluge of paper. Now, it was manifesting itself with the blemish of assignments not completed for the classes he was forced to attend, which he could honestly care less about under circumstances. However, it was also inhibiting his growth in combat, and he knew it.

Sealing techniques required absolute precision and immaculate penmanship, lest the results turn disastrous. So far, he had been able to imitate the few examples the two had arrived with, but this was only through much trial and even more error. Error, which could not be afforded should he ever wish to experiment with his own creations. There were volumes enough in the library, not necessarily pertaining to their own form of seals, but to glyphs which shared much of the shared structure and concepts. It was a mathematics which followed the same rules and was no less effective, just written in a foreign language. This didn't help Naruto, however, who was totally illiterate when it came to math and was now truly feeling the adversity he faced because he couldn't properly read or write. He was ashamed, really, because he knew that it was he who was holding the two of them back when it came to progress in this field.

Glynda regarded the boy, parsing out his words, and coupling them with the tone which bore them knew that despite their already admitted plight, there was a far more tragic tale which had yet to be elaborated. It was not her place to push him to reveal this, however. She was here to teach him, and as long as whatever he was restricting from her didn't interfere with his learning, she could accept it.

"Well, why don't you try reading the pages out loud, and I can help you when you come across a difficult word?" This seemed and acceptable proposition, and so Naruto began at the first page of the assigned reading.

And so it progressed, slowly for hours. Although, certainly for the boy, and perhaps even for the elder woman the time seemed to fly as her proverbial hand guided him through his stumbling. His elation with the increase in proficiency and confidence each correction brought infectiously radiated to her so that by the time Naruto had reached the end of the assigned reading, he was not aware of it, so completely immersed in the plebian and homely feeling of having the matronly woman hovering over his shoulder. Her reformed demeanor reminded him longingly of Iruka, so far away now, and yet was so much more intimate. It was so easy, yet he bitterly refrained from thinking of the blonde woman as a mother-figure. A surrogate, for his own and for his preciously won corollary whose only permanent reminder in this world was the aquamarine crystal necklace tucked under his white shirt.

The dream was fluid, and though it made little sense to a conscious Naruto, this one flowed with the sequence and the two of them moved onto penmanship. She gently corrected his grip and position with the instrument, and once or twice guided his hand with her own forming more complex symbols and the beginnings of words bordering on calligraphy.

Before either of them realized it, the book of the day had closed, and it was dark outside the classroom's windows. Naruto awoke to his mortal body and registered his hunger for the first time. The night was firmly ensconced, and he realized that he had missed lunch, and hoped that he had not missed the chance of dinner as well. He was not remiss at missing the chance to talk with his classmates, the opportunity being substituted for the one that was chance presented to him. He did, however, need to eat something, or he would be well and truly diminished come morning.

He helped Glynda tidy up both his and her own papers, long since forgotten on the borrowed desk. She felt a twinge of regret at the thought that she had yet to grade a single one of the papers she promised to have finished by the morrow. Oh well, for once she could let it slide.

She had made an exceptional breakthrough with the boy. Not only was his literary skills markedly improved after only one session, but he had showed himself to be an thoroughly motivated and adept student. Once again she was forced to reassess her image of the young boy. He was still easily distracted, true, his limitless energy being a detriment in that respect. However, he did not let the impediment hold him from completing what he was set out to do. It was all a matter of motivation, it seemed.

As they concluded and before they parted ways, they arranged to have further meetings whenever the two could manage. Goodwitch had her own job to administer, and so it would only occasionally be that they would have time for a one on one. Still, this should be enough for the boy who had already shown vast improvement. He would meet her in her office for the next time, at the same hour that he and Sasuke normally perused the library for additional information. When he was not with her, he would be there, and so would continue to practice his proficiency and challenge his increased fluency on his own.

As he abjured the growing feeling of hunger, his elation at events began to turn slightly sour, as they competed with the memories he still held dear of his home unimaginably far away. He was slightly ashamed that he seemed to be forgetting his original bonds, and promises still not kept. This, in comparison to the world he now found himself resident. The world in which he was finally matriculating from crawling to walking, admittedly not without stumbling, was growing on him. He had friends now, bonds that in his integrity could not be broken.

How could he hold the two bundles of connections, across that great expanse? Would it tear him apart to even try?

* * *

OMAKE!

Sasuke was unamused. That much was more than evident despite the minimal light cast by the sole source of illumination in the dorm room: a flashlight being held by yang angled so that it cast dramatic shadows on her normally flawless face. The drama was necessary, she said, to cast the proper mood for telling ghost stories. Honestly though, even with the pretention of drama, who was scared of ghost stories?

Oh yeah…

Ruby and Naruto were both shivering in abject fear under a layered bastion of blanks and Ruby's cloak, each clutching the other as their only anchor to prevent any wayward spirits from whisking them away. Yang would have ordinarily teased the two youths mercilessly for their slightly awkward position, but she was having much too much fun instilling fear in them.

How did he get roped into this again?

Oh yeah.

See above idiot. Sasuke was enjoying one of the seldom obtained moments of peace and quiet in his shared dorm, with the other occupant being absent for the majority of the afternoon and evening. Sasuke wouldn't be bothered enough to be worried about the blond-haired boy, he probably needed some time to himself as well, to sort things out.

So, in what would have been a setting considered 'cozy' by anyone else, he lay there in his own bed, a single reading light in place and a good book, for once not one pertaining to the shinobi arts, Sasuke would settle for being 'content'.

Until that is, the king of discontent came bursting through the door and spirited the unprepared and unguarded Sasuke out the door with an explanation lost in the hurricane that yanked him out the door and down the hall clad in nothing more than a t-shirt and boxer-shorts. The smallest consolation was that they had moved at such a pace that he had hardly time enough to feel exposed do to his state of undress, before they reentered and almost identical dorm down the hall, whose occupants, while of the female variety normally more than capable of tearing a man apart with contemptuous comments on his choice of apparel, were in an equally underdressed state.

Never having been much of a socialite when he was younger, Sasuke had no concept of this activity Weiss had taken the pity of informing him was called a "slumber party". Originally it was supposed to be solely for the members of team RWBY, but seeing as Blake turned up in the midst of preparation with a pointedly lost Naruto, the other girls (minus Weiss), decided to go with the flow and make the most of it.

Seeing Naruto's reaction to the promise of ghost stories was enough to erase any misgivings the rest of them had about including the young males in their activities.

"…And so, the two children had lost their trail in the woods and were wandering aimlessly for hours, growing hungrier and colder by the hour. Soon the wind picked up and whistled through the trees, and they both heard a shrill cry on the wind 'Help me….'" Yang was a having a ball, admiring the results of her admittedly not very original tale, the two targeted victims looked entirely pathetic, more children, and less proud warriors; sniveling being taken quite literally as bits of snot ran down their noses unbeknown to both.

"What's that? The boy asked, his finger going numb from the cold when he felt a ghostly hand slowly creep-"

*DING*

A Pavlovian response as any overcame the formerly shell-shocked girl as she immediately brightened up, pale skin regaining some of its glow and pendulum of mucus disappearing back up her proboscis.

"Cookies are done!"

Faster than any of the rest could see, the girl darted across the room to the surprisingly sturdy looking oven which had been requisitioned, quite how was unknown, for this event. Naruto was left alone under the covers, still recovering and registering what had prompted the sudden exaltation from his fellow fraidy-cat.

The lights were now on, the mood killed more completely and anticlimactically than what was to transpire in Yang's story. Ruby whipped the oven door open and produced three full racks of still steaming confections. All looked on in awe as a heavenly glow seemed to radiate from them, the xenoliths of chocolate chips and other divine bits of flavor exploding in their vision like an optically opposite black hole. A torrent of drool poured down from all observers.

"Behold!" Ruby stood there, trays in gloved hands as she announced her sermon as if reading holy writ. "These are the singly most delicious cookies you will ever taste! Oatmeal Raisin so sweet and thick it is likely that even a single one will clog your arteries and you will die in bliss! We have White Chocolate Macadamia so exotic you will change genders several times before you finish them! We have quintuple Chocolate Chip, blacker than a Grimm's Butthole! We have Snickerdoodles so awe-inspiring that you will die laughing!"

Despite the less than flattering descriptions delivered by the power/sugar high girl, the group ate the words up in their entirety as readily an aperitif as a glass of water cleansing their pallet before the culinary bliss.

"And at last, we have… huh? I thought I made those this time. I remember wanting to try the recipe after I found it in the library. Oh well, guess I forgot…"

"Who cares Ruby! Just give us those cookies!"

Blake was practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation, she had barely been able to restrain herself while they were still baking. With the acuity of her nose she was in agony for hours while the perfect creations rose to the occasion.

Weiss had a secret sweet tooth that she was sure as hell not going to let anyone else find out about. But proprieties aside, she was going to devour as many of those treats as she could fit into her mouth in a single bite.

Yang had known her sister's infamous cravings and had helped foster her skill for Yang's own benefit. She would eventually probably rue this decision if her sister was ever declared diabetic, but right now concerns were eschewed in favor of undiluted gastronomic lust.

Naruto was, well he simply couldn't believe there was something that smelled almost as good as Ramen.

Sasuke…. Well, he didn't like sweets but maybe one or two wouldn't hurt.

The dozens upon dozens of sweets were no match for the ravenous herd and they disappeared with a surge preempted by Ruby attempting to flee, and falling back on her butt. There was a mad scramble and a group grappling session of epic proportions devolved into a semblance and chakra-infused pillow fight that brought the wrath of Goodwitch down on them when a pillow went through one of the walls and knocked a startled Jaune unconscious instantaneously after the crash awoke him.

And, thirty minutes after the last cookie had been devoured and the rest of the sugar in their collective blood had completely metabolized, they had succumbed to the mother of all sugar-crashes and fell asleep in various slumps all around the room, some making it to the comfort of a mattress, but far more falling asleep where they lay, the last of their energy being diverted to dragging a stray blanket, or failing that a warm body, over there collapsed form.

All was quiet very soon after, save the obnoxious snoring of Naruto and Yang and the dainty snorts of Weiss as she lay half-on half-off Blake's suspended bed. When all was quiet, Sasuke who was perhaps the most gathered in his encampment at the foot of Yang's bed, silently cracked an eye open, scanning the room and making sure that everyone was indeed asleep.

From under the blanket he had located by brail minutes earlier, we withdrew one of the girl's t-shirts he had borrowed, and unwrapped the carefully folded garment to reveal a half-dozen reddish-hued cookies, unmolested by the horde. He brought one up to his face, drew a deep breath to reassure himself that it was indeed what he had first surmised. There was no mistaking the luxurious and tangy scent. It might be a horrible travesty, but how was he to know if he didn't try the temptations of a sweet tomato-basil ricotta cookie?

How did Ruby even know? He was very careful to keep his personal craving under tight scrutiny, varying his diet so that even the attentive would be hard-pressed to find a pattern, a commonality. He had even taken to lifting V-8 juices from the kitchen supply, so that they wouldn't see him chugging it down in the adjacent boy's bathroom.

He might have to kill her, lest she make this weakness public knowledge.

*Nibble*

….Ok, she could live.


	8. Start Wearing Purple

Jaune struggled under the weight of what had to be nearly a ton of pulverized and converted wood pulp, musty-scented leather and sedimentary ink. He had hauled the surprisingly sturdy cardboard box from where it had inexplicably turned up in his team's room, out here to what was regrettably the farthest training ground from the school.

"They're…"

His words served to pause the sparring session in progress at the training ground, Sasuke and Naruto both looking at the brown box with legs waddling on the path towards them. Jaune's last modicum of energy gave out and he collapsed face first into the tortured earth, the open box spilling its library of books onto the patched-earth in front of the two fighters.

"….here."

It took but a moment's thought for the two boys to comprehend what exactly it was they were seeing, before they descended on the recently shuffled pile.

These ancient and voluminous tomes were Jaune's legacy, his family's personal collection of manuals on sword types and techniques.

Picking up one with a gentle quickness like plucking a fly from his glass of water, Sasuke began leafing through one of the volumes. He set it down after a few seconds and picked up another, grimaced. He had expected as much, but there was no helping it. The volumes seemed to be exclusively centered around Western-sword fighting styles, which would be geared towards an unfamiliar weapon type and utilize movements that might not be congruent with their current fighting styles.

Naruto curiously pawed through the covers and first pages of the book when the title had been worn off over time through prolonged and loving use. He noticed many diverse and interesting titles and weapons illustrated, things totally foreign with equally incomprehensible names and some more familiar looking instruments with different monikers.

He saw all kinds of swords, rapiers, broadswords, longswords, and others in unpronounceable names consisting of Romaji accented by what looked to be an artist's attempt to spruce up the otherwise dull characters with dots and dashes and long streams of consonants. Names like, _Zweihänder, Halberd, Kriegsmesser,_ and others popped up at him from the well annotated text. He eyed the large blades enviously, his mind recalling him back to the battle upon a misty bridge where he faced life and death against a blade that would make most of these akin to toothpicks.

He read further in a particular manual on a sword called a _Claymore_. The illustrations depicting in detail movements and positions of counters and strikes had him taken aback. They illustrated a fluidity of motion he previously thought impossible from an unwieldly and cumbersome weapon. A particular technique using a variation of the _Claymore_ which had leather encasing the blade part way above the cross guard. The homogeneous figure twirled around the page as if wielding a bow staff, every part of the weapon now its deadly point.

"Here,"

A still scuffed, but now partly recovered Jaune handed Naruto a particularly ancient looking book, bound in leather the color of an execution ground's muddy floor. He flipped open the cover to reveal an intricately detailed illuminated picture of a duel, one side armed with a standard rapier, the other clasping a short sword and what seemed to be a child's idea of a shield.

"I thought of this, when you first asked me about the books."

Naruto squinted and tried to make out the title of the manual. His reading skills had most assuredly improved over the past few weeks of private sessions with Goodwitch, but he still had trouble with these words that tasted like chunky milk on his tongue.

"Boo-ke-ler? What's a Boo-ke-ler?

Jaune sighed as he realized the word Naruto was stumbling over. "It's pronounced, Buckler. It's a small shield. It's mainly used to provide something sturdy in a hand to hand fight, like a combination brass knuckles and a full-sized shield. In combat, though, it's typically used with a short sword called a Falchion. I just figured, with you being a close-ranged fighter, it might suit you. Also, being unpredictable, no one would suspect you of using the shield as a weapon.

Naruto nodded in accordance and understanding. It did seem to mesh with him rather well. Plus, he still had reservations about using a sword against an opponent, even if they did have Aura to protect them. This way, he would have more flexibility on whether or not to strike a finishing blow.

Sasuke in the meantime had located a couple of books of interest. He did indeed find a book on more eastern swords, but they were mostly originating from the Steppes or from Anatolia. He had read further in some of the other books on rapier and broadsword techniques, and found that there was really only so much variation one could accomplish with a similar weapon. He would be able amalgamate the various techniques into something that would work for him and should translate into a more familiar blade form.

Though the two boys were certainly content with this payment Jaune had provided in exchange for them taking their time to include him in their morning sessions, it was the older boy who was most glad. With his two juniors engrossed in their study, he might just have bought his ticket to a day free from the excruciating training.

"Hey!" Sasuke yelled, re-honing Jaunes edge as he began to relax. Sasuke was holding one of his chosen volumes like a hand of cards as he stared pointedly at the still gangly teen. "No slacking off."

So much for a break.

* * *

By the time the sun had reached its apex they had all worked up quite an appetite, and returned to Beacon to slate their hunger. Both the young warriors had an electric air despite their fatigue, the excitement of taking the first shavings off of their roughly hewn technique which would one day become a sculptured testament to their skill and effort prickled their skin.

Jaune was envious of this, because he was busy wondering if he would ever be able to feel anything again. His whole body had reached a state of numbness, perhaps reaching a maximum load on his strained nerves. The other two took some pity on the boy and collected the scattered sheaves and deposited both them and the bedraggled teen with the remainder of team JNPR in their room.

They had just been retreating from the dorms on their way to the cafeteria when their path was blocked by a team of four older students.

The presumed leader regarded them haughtily from behind her designer sunglasses, a smirk almost as expensively crafted graced her face making the two decidedly uncomfortable and very much like little rabbits in the eyes of a wolf.

"Sasuke and Naruto, I presume? I was expecting, something…. more." The words that addressed them were a carefully honed weapon of femininity. This was a dangerous person who clearly could use being a woman as a blade as sharp as any. They both refused to rise to the subtle jibe, but were both increasingly tense, sensing potential confrontation.

"What did you expect?" Naruto's usual bravado provided recourse. "We're only thirteen, but we can still kick anyone's ass. Who are you?"

If possible, the woman's smirk grew into a snake heartily content with its latest meal. Practiced movement let her gaze at them over the rim of her glasses, amber eyes playful. "So I hear…"

Her hand extended daintily offering a more intimate greeting.

"Coco Adel. It's a pleasure to meet you two. A little rabbit tells me that I owe one of you a thank you."

Naruto blinked, and for the first time regarded the other three students, and immediately caught the profile of female rabbit Faunus Cardin had been tormenting what had seemed like months ago. He hadn't seen hide nor hare (no pun intended) of her for some time now. At first, he had been a little concerned, but had since forgotten about the girl, less the circumstances of the incident. He regarded her now, her familiar face blushing at what he presumed was the antics of her leader. Her nervous aversion of his gaze and unconscious tick of tapping her left foot was oddly familiar as well.

"Sasuke, Uchiha." Sasuke shook her hand, his steely gaze never leaving her own toying one.

"Naruto Uzumaki." Naruto took his cue and her hand proffered hand as he took stock of the other two teammates.

"This is Fox Alistair, Yatsuhashi Daichi…" Coco indicated, gesturing first to the red-skinned teen and then to the towering behemoth behind her. "….and I believe you have already met Velvet Scarlatina." Name finally given to now ruby colored face, Velvet waved abashedly.

Introductions concluded, Naruto and Sasuke were curious as to why the team seemed to be pointedly seeking them out. They hadn't made an effort to find Naruto or Sasuke in these few months, and they asked as much.

"Well, it isn't like we have nothing better to do than wander around campus looking for cute little boys." Both boys bristled, unsure of exactly what her intonation implied. "But I am afraid this little meeting is official. Business before pleasure, sadly."

This comment spurred the two's curiosity. "What do you mean?" Naruto questioned.

"Well, Ozpin sent us on a little 'mission'. We are to escort you two to Vale so we can get you some proper threads." Unused to the slang term, Naruto and Sasuke remained silent, blinking owlishly. Undaunted, Coco elaborated. "That means, we are going shopping." She produced a translucent card from a pocket on her form-fitting trousers. "All expenses payed, of course."

Neither boys liked the sound of that.

* * *

After first insisting that they break their fast before they engaged in the tortuous experience, once landing in Vale via one of the school's Bullhead transports, Coco lead them to an upscale French café which to the two boys' relief did indeed serve a full menu. Sadly, for Naruto, there was no scent of ramen, and the waiter turned up his nose in revulsion when Naruto asked after his favorite dish, and he scribbled something they were all sure was fairly offensive on his notepad before stalking off.

After finishing their surprisingly good meal curtesy of Professor Ozpin, their ordeal truly began. Coco forcibly dragged the two younger males from shop to shop, Velvet clinging to their heals as they continued on their frenetic pace. Somewhere along the line, Fox and Yatsuhashi had made themselves scarce and sought refuge away from the girl on an all-expenses paid shopping binge.

Sasuke wished he could do the same, but this proved surprisingly difficult. Every time he thought Coco had dropped her guard and he could slink away unnoticed, she either displayed skills a Hyuuga would be hard pressed to emulate and caught him by the ear before he could get even two paces away, or Velvet would be there innocently blocking his escape route.

The two were resigned to their fate after several hours, entering a zombie-like procession of store-hopping and trying on various outfits for the two girl's edification.

An eternity later with the daylong faded to evening and the mid-day meal but a pleasant memory, their ordeal was finally over.

After numerous foiled attempts at escape, Sasuke eventually let the two woman have their way with his dress as he dutifully yet unhurriedly tried on their presented outfits. They finally settled on something acceptable to him, and he would return to the school clad in copper colored jacket fastened with ties up the side unto the high collar. Steel grey knickers and socks were supported by a black leather belt canted slightly in anticipation of the weapon which would soon hang there.

At first, Naruto had been vehement about including his favorite color in his ensemble. But after every garment he suggested had been shot down, in some cases almost literally, by the fashion-conscious woman, he had been forced to relent as well, and bow to her whims. He felt decidedly more over-dressed than he had ever before in his life. He emerged clothed in matching linen tunic and trousers, a dusty sage; the tunic worn loose and its mandarin collar buttoned. Over this draped a Jager-green hooded tabard, concealing a ballistic nylon vest (after learning of their existence, Naruto had insisted that he put as many layers between him and the painful experience as possible). The vestment's material was streaked with swashes of aubergine, and spectrally superimposed in the front was a canted white cross outlined in black borders. It was all secured by a russet leather belt and crosspiece.

"Hmmm. Good, but something is not quite right."

Naruto sighed at this assessment, and made to retie his headband, which he had removed in the process of fitting the garments. Before he could make to fasten it around his neck, Coco reached out and stopped him.

"Hold it!"

She gently took the symbol of his village, and he did not put up a fuss as he somewhat unwillingly released it to the insistent woman, waiting to see what she was to do. Staring directly into his eyes, she brought the embossed metal up to his forehead. He was slightly uncomfortable feeling her hot breath as she reached around to tie it off behind his head.

"Almost…"

She gestured a single beckoning finger towards Violet, who he now noticed had a tightly bundled parcel in her hands. She approached the two, and as she did she unbound the cloth from its canister-like presentation to reveal a silky-smooth piece of cloth several meters in length. She gently draped the almost gossamer-like cloth around his neck several times, and he felt the soft, but implacable material glide against his skin. He could not identify the cloth which might have been cotton, but just as easily could have been something synthetic that this world had developed. But there was no mistaking that profound velvet color.

Coco's smile for the first time that day was one of contented satisfaction as she took in the completed picture.

"Perfect. Take a look, what do you think."

Naruto turned to the vanity mirror propped against the changing room. His clothes were comfortable and they fit, and they would hold up better than his previous ensemble in combat, so he supposed he was satisfied enough with them. He was incapable of breaking his staring contest with his doppelganger, however, regarding the face that was so recently familiar, and now hardly unchanged but seeming so foreign. It stood taller, his body taking advantage of the nutrition finally provided to it, but he still felt so small.

His hand graced the metal symbol once again resting on his forehead, his blond locks now grown long from negligence framing the leaf that lay at its center. He was no longer sure how he felt about this symbol of fealty. He still had every desire to return home, and wearing it as he was now, it seemed to reaffirm his commitment to his village. But at the same time, it was a reminder of his almost-uniqueness in this world. He was a reluctant ambassador of the shinobi. If they never did manage to find their way back home. He would perhaps be the last of his kind to bear this mark.

But, he pushed back from the abyss of hopelessness. No matter that the clothes you wear say 'hunter', no matter what battles you may fight and under what banner, you will always be a ninja. This is your ninja way, to never give up, and never break a promise.

He would sort this all out someday, one way or another. He had friends and comrades once again to help him along the way.

"Yeah, it's perfect."

"The time is coming." Ozpin sat in the green velvet of his chair, gazing out to the illuminated city of Vale. Hundreds of thousands of lights each tied inexorably to hundreds of thousands of souls. Light offered humans illumination for the path forward, but for here on out they were walking blind into the future.

"Is that why you sent them into the city with CFVY? Is that why you've been having me tutor Naruto?" Glynda spoke from the dark corner of the room, heels clicking lightly as she entered the dim light of the lamp perched like an egret on Ozpin's desk.

Ozpin deigned not answer.

"It's cruel, you know."

He knew.

"It's cruel to treat them as children, to lure them into this sense of security only to suddenly thrust upon them the reality of this cruel world." Her words caustic, pained. It wasn't just Naruto and Sasuke Ozpin's coming actions would affect. He was ensuring many others would feel the pain if something should happen.

His reply betrayed no lack of confidence, through practice alone. "We were not the ones to forge them as tools. In their world, they were warriors, destined to be so since birth. What I am to ask them to do is probably less cruel than anything their home would have asked of them eventually."

"You don't know that." The callousness that she perceived in the headmaster's voice shattered her carefully crafted professionalism. "You don't know what they are capable of, and what will break them. It's cruel. It's cruel to ask them to bear your burden, this world's burden. A world that isn't even their own. They aren't even supposed to be here."

And what if they were?

"Despite what you may think, I am thinking about them." Had she been able to see Ozpin's eyes through the reflection in the window, and through the midnight tint of his lenses, she wondered if she would ever see compassion, again. "I am thinking about them, and millions of other lives. If we lose, we can do nothing for them. I am just paying my debts forward. Maybe, hopefully, they can find their own reasons for defending Remnant."

She wasn't sure if she believed him, she wasn't sure if she believed herself. Was she really upset at destroying the two boys' innocence? Or was she upset at destroying her own delicately maintained façade, the lie that she had been telling herself over the past few years in order to maintain the stern and aloof appearance for the sake of the students?

"What of team RWBY, and the others?"

"Telling ourselves now that they will be safe and we will not have to rely on them would be as much a lie as any I've yet swallowed. I can only hope those two can pave the way."

"And what if this is a mistake. All of it. What if them being here is the cause, and not the answer?"

"I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet. All I can do now is hope that this is not one of them."

Silence bound them, darkness suffocating.


	9. Voi La Intruder

"Hey! I'm back!"

Ruby bustled up to the rest of her team and their two tag-alongs bearing an intentionally non-descript paper bag the might have been carrying groceries if they weighed as much as gold bricks.

"Finally!" This exasperation was voiced by Weiss, who had been rather impatiently waiting for their young team leader to return from whatever mysterious errand it was that had her disappear so inexplicably upon first entering the city proper.

They had all descended the hill to the city of Vale per the suggestion of Weiss, of a day out on the town. Though it was quickly revealed even before they departed, that the true nature of this excursion was to garner information on potential contestants who might be arriving that day for the upcoming Vytal festival.

Admiring the girl's underhanded methods which he merely deemed 'preparedness', and happening to be within earshot of the conversation which had escalated in volume over several tables at breakfast, Sasuke uncharacteristically offered both his and his partner's companionship on this excursion. Neither the two of them were wholly familiar with the layout of the city, despite having been dragged throughout the streets a few days hence, and having cause some unintentional grievous damage those months prior. Though they had both obtained firsthand experience as to the durability and ingenuity of Vale's construction, they were much too preoccupied to learn the placements of buildings which may or may not be there in the anteceding minutes.

"Oh, come on, you weren't waiting that long." Ruby replied as she regained formation with the squadron of students.

"It's not about how long we waited. Although, what were you doing anyway? It's the fact that the ship that's supposed to be carrying contestants from the other nations is about to arrive soon. Seriously, what was so important that you just had to rush off like that?"

Ruby cheekily placed her index finger on her nose and stuck her tongue out a playfully short distance. "Secret."

Frustrated at being so handily shut down, Weiss huffed and proceeded to march them towards the docks.

While the majority of team RWBY was fixated on relaxing and enjoying the day out while accomplishing the task their ersatz leader had assigned them, Naruto was clearly preoccupied and kept his normal motor mouth on idle as they strolled along. Upon being briefed by Sasuke, who had been paying far more attention on the cultural aspects of their new residence, on the nature of the Vytal festival, he had been struck by an uncomfortable nostalgia and apprehension. Though this world seemed to contain individuals more level-headed than his own, he was still concerned at the potential homicidal characters this festival might attract. Sure, Gaara was pretty much his friend now, but he wasn't entirely confident in being able to pull off such a trick again.

This wariness was ignored by the female members who were preoccupied in their own little spat, which terminated soon enough upon arriving in the colossal white shadow of a cruise liner moored at the entirely too rudimentary wooden docks.

While Weiss and the rest of RWBY watched the egress of normal passengers emerging from the gangway, Naruto and Sasuke caught the deck-muffled voices of an argument emerging from the ship's hull near the rear. This preceded a yellow and white blur that vaulted over the railing and onto the weather-worn docks.

"Hey, you! Stop! No-good stowaway!" A man clearly garbed in uniform of the ship's crew yelled as he stumbled out of the porthole in pursuit of the unidentified humanoid blur.

"Hey!" The blur shouted back to the offending man. "I'm a great stowaway! A no good one would have been caught!"

Naruto silently applauded this logic, as he watched the approaching form of a young man that had he been a few years younger, could have passed with minor alteration for Naruto's replacement. Until he saw the whip-like tail emerging from the young man's roughed blue jeans, Naruto was struck with the eerie notion that this could be his analog in this world. Would the moment the two saw one another cause some sort of nexus to open up and swallow the observers into an incongruous non-reality?

This fear was blown off rather quickly with the gust of wind as the young man leaped passed them, his eyes briefly caught Naruto's yet did not even seem to register their alikeness as his gaze was quickly diverted to the black-haired beauty of their party. He winked, and Blake shivered. She recognized the similarity between the two, and it was creepy.

"Do you think he's going to be participating in the tournament?" Yang questioned as the stowaway rushed passed.

"No way! Someone like that- hmmm.. actually, yeah! Go after him!" Weiss's pronouncement reversed halfway through as she began her pursuit of the fleeing Faunus. The rest of the group was hot on her coattails.

They rounded a corner, too quickly perhaps, as the still unnamed young man evaded the obstacle that had appeared in the pursuit team's way while Weiss ran headlong into the unsuspecting girl. The rest of the group skidded to a halt in a mush around the collision. Naruto and Sasuke watched the strangely familiar blond leap away like a parkour runner into the surrounding concrete jungle, while the rest were preoccupied in assessing the damage their white-haired teammate caused. The two decided not to pursue, their interest not exceeding their desire to not attract attention to their gravity defying talents.

"Dammit! He got away!" Weiss yelled out from her grounded position.

"We are so sorry! Are you okay?" Ruby expressed more concern for the other half of the accident, as she moved to help the ginger girl off of the ground.

"Salutations! I'm fine, thank you for asking!" The vibrantly orange-haired girl greeted from her vantage still on their ground.

"Ummm, do you want to get up?"

The question seemed to genuinely puzzle the girl as she thought about it for a cumbersome pause. Eventually, the answer manifested.

"Yes!"

In a graceful move of dexterity, she leapt to her feet from her previously prone position. The rest took an instinctive step back.

"I'm Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Weiss."

"Blake."

"Ruby."

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" "Good question." The two blonds of the group received coordinated slaps to the back of the head, prompting a proper introduction.

"Yang."

"Naruto."

"Sasuke." He stated begrudgingly as he returned his slapping hand to its fold.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny reiterated, undaunted.

"Um, you already said that." Weiss pointed out contemptuously.

Once again, an extended pause came from the new girl before she acknowledged the remark. "So I did."

Team RWBY was mildly turned off by this disturbing interaction with the seemingly deranged Penny, and disappointed with their having lost their pursuit target, made to cut the greeting short and resume their journey.

Naruto and Sasuke, having both encountered their fair share of eccentrics, and more alert at the girl's display of acrobatics, were more interested in the bird that happened to fly into their hand, rather than go chasing after the troublemaker who equally well may not be competing in the tournament.

"You're competing in the festival, aren't you?" Sasuke's pointed question came out far more like a statement, but the young woman to whom it was directed was unaffected by its clipped and guarded tone.

"Yes, indeed I am acquaintance! I'm combat ready!" Penny proudly proclaimed as she replied to the stoic boy.

This also seemed to perk Naruto's interest and he regained his usual exuberance. Sure, she was strange, but she seemed harmless enough in comparison. "Cool! Where are you from? What's your fighting style like?"

The retreating team RWBY halted in their fallback at Penny's declaration of intent to enter the tournament, their own interest piqued.

"Wait, you're entering the tournament?" Weiss interrogated.

Unflappable, and perhaps even stimulated by the barrage of attention she was now receiving, Penny chose to address Weiss's simple question first. "Yes, I am, that is what I said!" If she had been any less innocent sounding with her reply, Weiss would have been sure that the girl was mocking her.

"I am from Atlas. But I am afraid I cannot reveal my fighting style, as it is classified information."

Weiss was interested at the information that the girl was from the same kingdom that she herself hailed from, but found it no huge surprise as Atlas was a massive country, and she could easily have neglected to meet their girl before she left to Beacon.

"Ok, I get it. Don't want to reveal your talents before the competition! Well, in that case, I hope I get a chance to fight you in the tournament, I want to see how strong you are. Ice Queen here isn't huge, but you don't even look like her hard ass running into you even hurt- OW!"

Naruto's poorly concealed insult was truncated when Weiss proceeded to smack the boy several times on the head with the blunt side of her rapier.

Reciprocally unaffected by the group's strange behavior, Penny continued to smile unfazed.

"Yes! I am very strong, and I too cannot wait to fight with you in the tournament! It would be ever so much fun!"

Eager to disperse the increasingly bizarre encounter, Weiss attempted to end the back and forth.

"Well, sorry for running into you, but we have to get going. Now where did that vagabond go?"

The rest of the group gave their goodbyes as well, including Sasuke who nodded appreciatively in her direction. "Take care, friend." Ruby offhandedly sent back to the girl as she turned to leave. Nursing the growing bump on his head, Naruto too professed the pleasure in her acquaintance.

"Now, where did that dirty Faunus go?" Weiss whispered mainly to herself, unaware that Blake could hear her every utterance, and was growing increasingly incensed at her teammates attitude toward her species, though they were still ignorant to the fact.

"I don't think it really matters." Sasuke, first alongside Weiss shot over to her. "I highly doubt that even if we find anyone else that's in the tournament, that they would willingly reveal any useful information."

Weiss glared at his logic. "It's not just about the tournament, that rapscallion could be responsible for that break-in at the Dust shop."

Sasuke scoffed derisively. "Highly unlikely, the shop was hit well before the ship arrived, and from all the evidence so far, that guy was on the ship the entire time."

"Why are you so quick to always blame Faunus for everything?" Blake had caught up to the discourse, and her ire was growing at Weiss's repeated offenses.

"He's clearly no good!" Weiss religiously stated. "Faunus like that are not to be trusted! I wouldn't be surprised if he was a member of the White Fang."

This particular comment sent more than just Blake on edge. Naruto and Sasuke had been briefed on the Faunus extremist group once when they had their first debriefing, and had subsequently been forced to learn their history entire in the course of their studies. Sasuke had been toying with the idea that the White Fang was behind the most recent strain of Dust robberies. The appearance of this delinquent Faunus could just as easily be coincidence, but Sasuke would not be caught off-guard, and filed all of his musings away in a mental folder.

Naruto was far more emotionally effected by Weiss's spite. In those few seconds of contact, he had bonded with his look-alike. And in the months that they had been in the world of Remnant, he had identified more and more with the plight of the Faunus. Even though in his cover he professed not to be of the species, he found he was starting to receive the same mistrusting and cautious looks while in the city as he received back home in Konoha. Weiss's indiscriminate condemning of not just the group, but Faunus as a whole did not sit well with him, either.

"You can't go generalizing like that. You have no evidence other than the fact that he is a Faunus. If you just go assigning everyone as a threat, you miss the ones who are the real danger." Surprisingly, it was Sasuke who offered this rational counter.

"I do have evidence. He's a stowaway, and a thief. That makes him no good. Who's to say that he isn't capable of something like the break in?"

"You have no right to judge people by their past mistakes." This particularly frost comment came from Naruto, who was by this time increasingly upset with the white-haired girl and her train of logic. Her scorn touched a particularly sensitive area for him, as he himself had resorted to stealing to survive, and was often known throughout the village as a miscreant.

Blake glanced towards Naruto, empathetic to his emotional reaction. This sparked the charcoal of curiosity in Blake, who could not help but wonder how a human such as Naruto could seemingly find such a kindship with the Faunus.

"I have ever right!" Weiss angrily declared. "The White Fang has been tormenting my family for years now. They steal our shipments and have even threatened my family's lives."

"What do you expect? The Schnee Dust Company employs Faunus workers at half the wages of humans, and makes them do the most dangerous work. Of course your family is going to be a target." Blake's vitriol was directed back towards Weiss and her tirade.

"Hey! We are the victims here! The White Fang is nothing but a bunch of thieves, criminals and murderers!"

"Maybe we were just tired of being pushed around by people like you!"

Blake was beyond furious by this point, her emotions controlling her extremities which she was barely able to restrain. But more immediately important, she was not able to restrain her mouth as she attempted to bludgeon the obnoxious brat with her words. And in her rage she had not noticed the comment she let slip until the group slowed to a stop in a loose circle around the dark woman.

All of her friends were looking at her with a mixture of confusion and nauseating realization. All save for the two shinobi, who looked either nonplussed, or increasingly tense at the escalation of the argument.

"Wait," Weiss has finally twigged onto what Blake has just let slip. "what do you mean 'we'?"

"She's a Faunus."

All eyes shot to Sasuke at this frank and callous comment.

"Was that a secret? I thought we were all just rolling with it." Naruto scratched the back of his head, his nervous hands seeking to do something, grasp something, but finding nothing that would help the burgeoning unseemliness.

Blake took a cautious step back, fight or flight kicking in as the adrenaline from her heated argument turned into a danger response.

"Blake-" Ruby began.

Blake took this as a starting signal though, and like a black lightning bolt shot off into the air, leaping from building to building with cat-like grace.

Naruto, being one of the closest people to her previous position made to jump off after her, hoping to talk some sense into his friend who was clearly very distressed. A strong hand caught his shoulder though, and he felt Sasuke squeeze tight around the shoulder of his ballistic vest. He didn't need to say anything, because Naruto implicitly understood that the other boy felt the woman needed to be alone. Naruto distinctly felt differently, but reluctantly acquiesced, waiting to see what the rest of Blake's closer friends would do.

"Blake!" Ruby called after the retreating black form.

"Let her go."

"No! I can't just let her go off like that! What you said Weiss was incredibly hurtful."

"But not entirely untrue." Sasuke contested, his voice neutral. But the initiated might be able to glance his own internalized struggle at the fizzle of the heated words. "She needs some time alone." Sasuke spoke form his own experience.

The more expressive of the group collectively disagreed with him.

"Please," Ruby pleaded to Naruto. "Help us find her."

The request was all the excuse he needed.

* * *

"So, you never told your teammates that you were a Faunus?"

Sun Wukong, the blond monkey Faunus they had encountered at the dock sat in a sunny garden café across from Blake, who was nursing a cup of heavily spiced and comforting tea. It was the first thing close to food that she had had since she departed from her team in the streets of Vale 12 hours prior. Sun took a sip from the miniature coffee cup in front of him and grimaced.

Bitter.

As he reached across the table to the caster of sugar closer to the girl than to him, Blake spoke, more to herself and her beverage than to Sun.

"I was once a member of the White Fang."

Sun blinked as the much too large lump of sugar that he had spooned from the container dropped into his still scalding drink, splashing tar colored drops onto the table.

"It wasn't my choice, I was born into it." She swirled her cup, the foam gently forming ant-sized hurricanes amidst the detritus of cloves and cinnamon. "And it wasn't always bad. It started out with peaceful protests, efforts to support disenfranchised Faunus. But it didn't work. They were always stopping us from helping, starting violence at the protests, and we just keep seeing Faunus treated like trash everywhere. And somewhere along the line, I guess something just broke…"

Blake looked at her on muddied reflection in the cup.

"But you left, right? Because you didn't like what they were doing." Sun surmised, shrugged, and probed his drink again. This time it was still too hot, and way too sweet. He drank it anyway, his mouth already burned and peeling. "Because you wanted to become a huntress, and protect people."

Blake seemed to notice his presence for the first time. Regarding him with those unblinking, cat-like eyes.

"I think that makes you a good person." Sun gave her a subtly glowing smile. Those eyes, though, couldn't see him. They saw someone else behind that glow.

"Thanks…. Sun. I just don't know if my teammates will see it the same way."

"If they don't accept you for who you are, they aren't worth it." Sun's reply was too simple not to make sense.

"But what if Ozpin finds out that I was part of White Fang? What if I get kicked out of Beacon? I hid my identity because I wanted to start over. I'm not sure if I can again." Blake grimaced dejectedly. Her past as a Faunus was no longer an option, and it was starting to look like her new life would come crashing down around her as well.

"What makes you think he doesn't already know?" This jest made Blake stop and cogitate on the offhand remark.

Sun continued to smile, somewhat more somberly. "Life doesn't always give us easy choices. Sometimes it downright sucks. But we just have to pick up the pieces and start over." This was said with such confidence and certainty that Blake couldn't help but feel that her fellow Faunus spoke from experience.

"Besides," His smile brightened a modicum. "Have some faith in your friends, I think they might surprise you. They seem like good people, trust me, I can sense these things."

The words inexplicably gave Blake some soothing confidence with their unwavering assurance, but she still maintained a neutral as look as she could, fearful at investing herself too much in a hope that might not pan out.

"Sun."

"Hm?"

Blake stared right into his slate blue eyes, silently insistent. Sun wondered if he was starting to sweat under the intensity.

"I need your help."

"Ok, with what?" Sun questioned, curious more than skeptical.

"I know that there's a large shipment of Dust coming into White Fang territory. If it really is them committing this string of thefts, they won't be able to resist it."

Sun nodded, catching the gist of the current direction her mind was headed. "So you want to go there, and what? Catch them in the act?"

"Or prove their innocence."

"It won't necessarily absolve them," He was slightly upset with the suggestion of them, more specifically her, putting herself into harm's way. "but if it will help you reconcile this, I'll do what I can."

Blake reached across the table, gently covering his hand with her own. He felt the subtle ridges and valleys of the tropical landscape of her skin. The mild callouses from where she pushed herself training to protect whatever it was that she held important, convergent faults accenting her perfection rather than detracting from it. A teacup with defects that made it even more beautiful.

"Thank you, Sun." She offered him one of her rare smiles.

He had no words for this, just a troubled smile and a nod.

"Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt, can I get the young couple anything else?"

The moment was ruined by the inopportune but well-meaning waitress, an older matronly lady with only mild crowfeet and a few gray hairs decrying her decline from youthful beauty.

Blake quickly retracted to her own side of the table faster than a cat that slipped into a bathtub. She briefly wondered if it would be a benefit to have fur to cover up her prominent blush.

"We-we're not a couple."

Sun's own blush could have perhaps hidden his disappointment at the reflexive denial.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I just assumed."

Once the waitress had made herself scarce again, Blake attempted to power through the flustered air that had congealed between them at the interruption. She arranged to meet him again, that night at a given warehouse at the shipping docks. She then finished off the rest of her chai, left a few coins on the table and gave Sun a sidelong glance before she vanished into the waning morning hubbub.

Sun watched her go, seeing her lithe black form melt into the foot traffic and then to wherever it was people went to lay low. He deposited some small bills himself on the table and began to meander off.

He got a few blocks from the café on a bustling thoroughfare, before he turned off into an alley not much wider than his shoulder width. He stopped in the shade and slightly rank smell as he leaned up against the wall next to a dustbin, head down and pensive, not waiting it seemed, for anything in particular.

"We have to tell Ozpin, you know."

Sasuke's copper toned jacket melted in an unknown alloy with the iron red wall of the alley he too was propped against. Neither looked at the other as the street noise undulated in and out of the alley which funneled sound in, but not out.

"Yeah, I know."

Sasuke nodded expressionlessly, but he still turned to the blond man. "It'll be ok." This was a rare proffered gift from the raven-haired boy, but it didn't sooth the trepidations building in his fellow conspirator. And as a shadow passed in front of their shared hideaway, the space was once again occupied by the single individual.

Sun sighed, in resignation, in desperation, in frustration and disappointment, in himself, mostly. There was an obscuring cloud of smoke as Sun lost several centimeters and almost as many kilos and gained in return more clothes, whisker marks and a deeply troubled expression.

Naruto gazed out from his concealment to see part of team RWBY pass across the street, still in search of their wayward fourth.

He was not the best tracker. But canvasing the area with clones and with the advent of simply being a ninja, along with the fact that the girl wasn't trying very hard to hide, Naruto had found her within the first hour.

He was at a loss as to how to approach her, though. Staring at her huddled and scared form from a distant rooftop, he tried desperately to approach the distraught woman. He wasn't sure exactly where he stood with the dark beauty. Where exactly did he fit in this inner circle? Part of him wanted so much to approach her, spill his own guts and commiserate in desolation.

But he couldn't trust. What would happen if he invested himself too much in these people only to disappear from their lives like a midsummer night's dream? It would not only hurt him, but them as well, to be rent apart so callously. He couldn't trust her not to jeopardize their situation and spill their story to the rest of her teammates. He couldn't trust himself not to become attached. And what then, if he couldn't force himself to return to the people he had left with unfulfilled promises?

Meeting with Sun Wukong gave him the opportunity to craft a persona that could approach the skittish Faunus. He had to admit that the man was indeed quite analogous to himself, making it all the easier to assume his identity for this delicate operation.

It was hardly perfect. It had so much potential to blow up into his face. To hurt him, and more importantly to hurt Blake. He didn't want to lie. He hated it.

He hated himself.

But at least he kept his promise.


	10. Shy Kind of Guy

"Please understand, I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't critical."

The two boys stood at ease in front of Ozpin once again, unamused and perhaps displeased with the gravity of the situation.

"You may not like it, but I don't want you to interfere with team RWBY's investigations."

Naruto's grip behind his back tightened, not liking this order in the slightest. He had just gotten used to the concept of Ozpin as headmaster, he was not fully ready to accept the older man as his commander.

"You will observe and report back. Your primary goal in this mission is to be undetected. Failure means that you lose your anonymity, and so you would lose your primary value to me." The logic was sound, it was everything anyone could have hoped for in a leader, and as a mission it would be a breeze for the trained shinobi.

"You can't tell me that if I see my friends in danger that I can't do anything about it!" Ease of completion was not important to the blond boy. He was much more concerned for the safety of his friends than playing recon for Ozpin's edification.

The man's poker face did not slip a minutia. "I won't stop those students from conducting their own investigation. They will become a part of this soon enough, if we cannot prevent what the White Fang and their associates are planning. Exposing them to the dangers you face would only increase the problems for both you and them. If you do the job right, they will never have to know anything. So I repeat: do not reveal yourself, to either enemies **or** friends."

Sasuke nodded at the finality of the man's tone, taking it for dismissal. He turned to leave, Naruto following a second behind, but not before staring the man down behind the safety of his desk, briefly contemplating seeing if the man was a capable as he portended to be. He restrained himself, scholastic learning helping to temper him by making him think farther into the future about consequences.

They had almost made it to the elevator when Ozpin called out lightly. "That is also to say, as long as you remain anonymous and return unharmed, you can use any methods you wish to accomplish this task." He now stared directly at Naruto with his amber eyes sandwiched between his snowy eyebrows and indigo glasses. "I will not blame you for any other actions you deem necessary in the completion of this mission. Am I clear?"

"Perfectly."

* * *

So here they were, freezing their asses off on a damp and cold rooftop in the harbor district draped in a thin, black tarp to hide them from their potential targets and from Blake and Sun on an adjacent rooftop doing much the same thing.

After debriefing Sasuke on his and Blake's conversation, he sought out Sun again, and dropped the older boy the fact that Blake would be waiting for him at 9:00 PM in the harbor district. He tactically omitted some of the more incriminating parts of that conversation, though.

"Maybe they won't show?" Naruto whispered shakily to Sasuke. He wasn't scared, just cold. Sitting still on a damp and deserted rooftop in the middle of the night was not something he enjoyed doing. They had to arrive before the Faunus pair, and so had been staking out the potential crime scene for the past five hours. Naruto idly wondered if the other two were having similar thoughts.

Sasuke shook his head negative. "Ozpin knows more than he is letting on. He wouldn't have asked us out here and gave us so specific instructions if nothing was going to happen."

As Sasuke concluded this observation and fell silent, a low whirring noise became evident to the twos' battle honed senses. "And here we go…"

Two unmarked Bullhead transports glided in to the clearing in front of the storage buildings where the shipping containers holding the millions of Liens worth of Dust resided. The force from their descending engines whipped up debris scattered on the dock and sent a gust up the walls of the building where the two ninja crouched, carrying the smell of oil and fish on a warm wind.

They saw several forms emerge from the craft, even before they had landed. Their outfits resembled greatly the ones worn by the ANBU forces back in Konoha, but knew them to be the hallmarks of the White Fang from the briefing Glynda had given them before departing.

Another familiar form from the hasty PowerPoint then emerged from the farther Bullhead. He was even wearing the same clothes. Was that some kind of evil villain protocol?

"Hurry up you animals, before the cops show up!" Roman Torchwick shouted at the assembled White Fang members who did not seem to like being addressed as such, but proceeded to give a wonderful emulation of ants as with military-like precision began to deprive the shipping containers of their contents and transport it in bucket lines to the idling craft.

Naruto's heart went out to Blake out this outcome, but almost stopped dead when he saw her shadowy form leap down for her concealment to accost the criminals in the midst of their laboring.

Her voice projected around the entire courtyard.

"White Fang members! Why are you working with a criminal like Roman Torchwick?"

The only reply she got from the two ninja's perspective was for the masked and uniformed individuals to produce bladed weapons and advance on the lone interloper.

Naruto was ready to leap himself right behind Blake. He had learned some restraint in these past few months, but it handily went out the window when a friend was in danger. Sasuke held firm to the hood of his tabard, though.

"Let me g-!" Sasuke clamped his hand over Naruto's mouth and Naruto tasted the dirt and grime they had been huddled in all night long. He sent Sasuke a withering glare, but the boy was unrelenting.

"Idiot," Sasuke said, voice barely audible over the sounds of combat below. "Ozpin specifically told us not to interfere. Besides, you should have more faith in their skills."

True enough, as Naruto swallowed much of his indignation and turned to regard the scene unfolding down on the docks, he saw both Sun and Blake were both more than capable of taking care of the clearly inferior forces of the White Fang. He was still upset at being kept from the fight, but was not going to go leaping into the fray just yet.

The two on the ground were methodically taking down their Faunus foes, slowly but surely whittling away their numbers. A brief shadow in front of the stars out to their right set them alert again. There trained eyes focused in the minimal light from the stars and shattered moon three more quickly approaching Bullheads.

"Fuck it." This apt statement said, Naruto leapt off the rooftop before Sasuke could restrain him. He watched the back of the black-caped blond, quickly melting into the darkness, and looked back to the fight, where it seemed the two sides were at a standstill, with Roman Torchwick deciding to throw his hand into the ring. Sasuke bit his cheek in consternation, for once, unsure of what to do, or not do.

"Idiot."

Naruto quickly closed the distance on a path that would take him right underneath the craft of their current trajectory. He came skidding to a halt on a steepled rooftop of a particularly tall building and waited in the shadow of a clay chimney until the aircraft got within his range. He reached into his utility pouch and withdrew a handful of shuriken. He had felt around in his pouch for the telltale texture of paper that would be the ones he had plastered with his homebrew explosive notes.

He had yet to test them in combat, but the last few practices without the prying eyes of Jaune had shown them to be devastating enough to the young man. By the third day of his trials he had gotten quite frustrated with the whole endeavor, and so when he imbued them with his chakra, he might have potentially slipped in some of his tenant's more portent blend.

This suited him just fine. He had some frustrations to work out right now.

He flung the batch at the Bullhead that was on point in the formation. The shuriken would not pierce the aluminum armored skin of the hull, but the body wasn't his target. In fact, he hardly had need to aim as the powerful turbines sucked in the metal disks like a small flock of pesky birds. Unfortunately for the machine and the pilot, these were no birds.

The explosion that erupted from the engine vaporized the stubby wing and part of the body. The force was such, that instead the craft of peeling off to its port side, the same direction as the now defunct engine, the Bullhead instead leapt to the starboard, right in the path of the next one in formation.

Naruto couldn't have planned the attack better, except that he had some inclination of the devastation he could cause in the milliseconds before he let the weapons fly. The damage snowballed as the first craft crashed solidly into the second, and debris from the two's collision entered the flightpath of the third, bringing all three down in one fell swoop.

They had been flying in close formation, good for avoiding detection, but not so effective if one had an enemy equipped to deal with aircraft.

The first two Bullheads had burst into angry flames during the explosion and later crash and both dropped like bricks into a commercial neighborhood where they all but disintegrated on impact.

The third, having merely lost an engine, lost control for enough time that it veered into a building adjacent to the one Naruto was still perched on. It merely clipped the overreaching gables and lost use of its other engine before it too plummeted to the streets below.

It was mostly intact, though, when it rolled to a stop in the middle of a deserted street, despite the fact that it had ruined several cars parked along the sidewalk.

Naruto grimaced witnessing the damage. He was more upset, however, that the last craft failed to be completely destroyed. That meant that he would have to see if any of the passengers survived the crash, and if they had, then he would have to 'clean up' his mess. It was one thing to throw a handful of explosives into a populated craft. It was another thing to take a life with one's own hand.

He descended from his perch over to the wreckage of the downed craft. He paused on another rooftop overlooking the devastation. It was a testament to the technology of this world that its passengers seemed to be relatively unharmed, already up and collecting themselves and critical equipment from the crash site.

He couldn't allow them to regroup.

"Shit! No one said that we were expecting it to be difficult. What hit us?" One White Fang member yelled over his ringing ears, hands roaming his head to check and see if his curly horns were indeed till attached.

"Me."

Naruto had drawn a pair of kunai and like bird of prey descended on the survivors. His first strike slashed the throat of the sheep Faunus that had just spoke, silencing him further. He moved to engage the next closest target, a woman with the ears of a bear and matching dirty blond hair. He didn't think, he just slashed with his other hand. She had just begun to raise her hands in defense when the strike tore through her raised hand and across her masked face.

Naruto cursed. That strike had almost not been fatal. It was clear that he would need a weapon with greater reach to overcome his still too-short stature.

Not foolish enough to pause now in his assault, he seamlessly threw the kunai he had just used on the female Faunus and it embedded into the penultimate survivor of the crash who was so badly burned Naruto couldn't tell what kind of Faunus he was.

He took this moment to pause and breath. Breath, and not think. Can't think, can't stop.

He looked over to the final survivor, a young male Faunus with rabbit ears. He could smell the singed hair on their crumpled form. He could smell the fear.

He approached the man-no boy, he looked barley older than Ruby, than Naruto himself. His leg was bleeding profusely, and he could not stand without leaning on the burning wreckage of the ship. His mask had come off during the crash and Naruto met him eye to eye.

He wondered if his own face showed such fear, in that instant. He had not stopped to think when he killed the others, knew that any hesitation would have frozen him as he was now. They looked at one another, both there and both not. There were tears, on whose face he wasn't quite sure, as he imagined himself leaning against the ship with the bloody leg, waiting patiently for the man who had already killed the rest of his team to finish the job.

"I'm sorry."

For whom? He wondered as he stepped yet closer.

Naruto watched as the boy collapsed at his feet, his knife never having touched the sooty flesh. It might have been tragically ironic, had he died from fright, a rabbit Faunus.

But no, he realized as hands came from the shadows cast by the still burning flames to effortlessly pick the unconscious White Fang youth up and sling him over a familiar dark-cloaked shoulder. Sasuke looked back at Naruto, flames dancing in stone pools.

"Good job, baka. Now, can we go home before they add another page on to our repair bill?"

Home? What an interesting concept. He thought of, what? Family? Never existed. Security? Laughable. Sustenance? There was that. Friends…

"Come on, idiot, snap out of it and let's-"

"I think I saw the fire over here!"

The familiar voice echoed around the corner and addressed the two as they stood in the interrupted darkness clad in their hooded cloaks. Ruby, along with Penny rounded the corner at the far end of the street.

"-Book it."

The two came upon the burning carcass in the street, Ruby took a swatch of her cloak to cover her nose form the acrid stench. Neither took notice of two flickering shadows amongst the many the licking flames cast.

Seeing nary a soul alive and nothing to be done immediately for the dead, the two moved on to find the origin of the destruction, and hopefully locate Blake in the process.

Though she got as much of a look at the diorama of bodies as Ruby did, Penny's analytical mind retained far more of the actual detail. The bodies of the White Fang were located outside of the crash, and had been all felled by very clean cuts to vital areas. The one slumped against the craft still retained a small knife lodged in its sternum.

Not being able to correlate this oddity with previous data, she just filed it away with a blink and resumed following her distressed friend.

* * *

Ozpin sat securely in the ironwood and emerald velvet chair behind his desk. He stared intently at the live feed from his scroll, actively being sent to him form a camera the ninja had installed on one of the warehouse rooftops before their departure. He watched the conclusion of the confrontation between a handful of his students, their acquaintances, and several squads of White Fang Backed by Roman Torchwick.

This was confirmation he desperately wanted and feared. It meant that they could, and needed to step up preparations.

Fortunately, it seemed as if his longtime friend and colleague James Ironwood had already started dabbling in alternatives to sending countless lives to the slaughter, the windup girl handily downing two Bullheads with apparent ease. Though as he watched the following interaction between Ruby Rose and this so called 'Penny', he began to wonder if Ironwood truly knew the consequences of bequeathing his creation a human soul.

Here was an artificial being struggling to come to terms with its position as both a tool and totally random labor of love.

Was he any better though? Asking humans to mold themselves into his precision instruments, all the while distracted by the thought that they may never see their loved ones again.

His coffee sat cold.

* * *

"Blake! Ruby! Sun! Are you guys okay?" Yang shouted as she jogged with Weiss at her hip up to where Ruby and Blake were seated on the bumper of a police van, both draped in shawls of rough wool.

They had resisted the treatment as invalids, but Ruby had not been able to refuse the steaming cup of cocoa professed to her.

"We're fine, Sis. Really."

"You really shouldn't go running off like that! And you!" Yang turned accusingly to Blake. "You had us really worried!"

Blake had the decency to look chagrined, seeking comfort in her own cup of chocolatey mud. Weiss stepped around the accosting Yang to stand in front of her recently absent teammate. Any apology that had been forming in Blake's mind was cut off as she opened her mouth and Weiss held up a commanding hand, silencing her.

"I've had a lot of time to think about it." Weiss began seriously. "And I realize: I don't care."

Blake blinked, waiting for an elaboration to this potentially damning comment.

"I don't care that you're a Faunus, or that you were once part of the White Fang. I do care that you went and did something foolish like this without telling us! We are your teammates, and you need to share your problems with us. We are here to help you, no matter what."

Blake felt a growing warmth in her stomach that had nothing to do with the seldom sipped beverage.

"You had us really worried, you were gone for more than 24 hours! We even had Naruto look for you for almost a solid day!"

Sun, who had been content to let the female team discharge their pent up emotions perked up at the mention. "Mini-me? Wow, tough luck, he must have just missed you. He ran into me twice in the same day." Team RWBY looked over to the other Faunus interested to know what had transpired between the two blonds.

"Yeah, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure he was the one who told me where to find you, Blake."

Blake's mind on the downswing from the recent adrenaline rush struggled to focus on the oddity of the statement made by her countryman.

"What are you talking about, Sun? We met earlier in the day at the café, and I told you to meet me here."

"Really?" Sun said, scratching his head and wincing as he found a previously unaccounted bruise beginning to form. "Dang. I must have gotten hit harder than I thought."

"Hey, where's Penny?"

Ruby's interjection caught most of their attention as the assembled gang looked around for the socially-awkward girl, seeing that she had indeed vanished in the aftermath including Yang and Weiss's arrival.

"Huh, I didn't see her when we arrived." Yang confessed.

Most were diverted by the oddity of the girl's sudden disappearance, content to take Sun's lapse in memory at face value. Blake however, couldn't shake a deeply troubled feeling, a familiar one that she had experienced months ago, during the time the gang was still getting to know each other's ins and outs.

She looked to the blond Faunus and his preoccupied look as he puzzled along with the rest of her team at the strangeness of the whole circumstance. She recalled the look and incidental touch the two had shared in that bright and damp morning in the outside café. Suddenly, she couldn't imagine that same expression on this Sun's face. She didn't know this person nearly as well.

* * *

"Well done you two."

Ozpin had been alerted by Goodwitch at the return of his shinobi subordinates, and had met them at a safe house on the outskirts of Vale. They had arrived no worse for the wear, borrowed black cloaks slightly scuffed, but the limp body ported by the more stoic teen was clearly worse for the wear.

He had not witnessed the destruction of the Bullheads cause by the blond, nor the following cleansing of people who could have identified him. But one look at the hollow look on the boy's face told him much of what had transpired. The shell stared back and he desperately wanted to curse himself for the decisions he had made that he knew where right.

His right hand clasped the wrist of the other behind his back, muscles straining at the tension. He gestured to a moth-eaten corduroy sofa along one of the bare concrete walls with a nod.

"Set him down there." He referred to the unconscious captive still being carried by Sasuke. The boy grunted in acknowledgment and more or less gently deposited his limp form on the indicated piece of furniture.

"I want you to know, Blake and the others are unharmed. Roman Torchwick did escape, but hopefully with his cooperation," He once again indicated in the direction of the unconscious form. "we should be able to get some information that will allow us to be a step ahead of them, next time."

The prospect of a next time did not seem to fill either the stoic teen or the other distraught boy with any elation, though Sasuke nodded silently.

"You can clean up and go back to Beacon, there is a shower, here if you want, and a change of clothes."

Naruto began to mechanically turn to the door from whence they came, but Sasuke waited a beat before approaching the professor. Naruto stopped at the door when he noticed that Sasuke wasn't following him. The other boy withdrew a lightly used blue moleskin notebook from within his utility pouch and proffered it to Ozpin.

The older man reached out and took the notebook like it was a centuries old bible of incredible provenance. He carefully opened the cover, and his eyes methodically scanned the page before carefully thumbing the next page, repeating the process.

The two in the room without the patient onyx eyes waited in mild confusion.

"For the 'next time'." Sasuke offered.

He did so again, as he reached the bottom, and this time waited a beat before he turned the notebook sideways, taking in what was undoubtedly a large diagram.

"What is this?" Ozpin now asked, inquisitive and perhaps slightly amused.

"Tradition."


	11. Unvisable Zed

It was a peaceful morning in the cafeteria. Perhaps too peaceful, as the usual endless source of mirth and amusement was noticeably quiet and recalcitrant. Naruto and Sasuke were even so aloof as to remove themselves form the larger groups, taking a table to themselves adjacent to team RWBY and one more from team JNPR.

Any one of the teams might have commented on this, but seeing that the blond had shown up this morning with pronounced bags under his eyes, they simply chalked it up to a lack of sleep for one reason or the other. Jaune himself knew that the two boys had the potential to train into the wee hours of the morning if pushed to.

Team RWBY was just glad to be reunited with their now identified Faunus teammate, and was currently otherwise engaged. Weiss and Blake were quietly conversing between bites of their light morning meal. Yang was alternately joining in and intercepting food projectiles sent over from team JNPR curtesy of Nora.

They might have been a little more concerned about the boy if they noticed his lack of a reaction when Ruby appeared suddenly with an inexplicably large binder which she dropped onto their table, causing it and several other tables to shudder. But, well, they just had a giant binder slammed into their table. That, and Weiss had just identified it as the one previously in her possession, to which Ruby fervently denied steeling said binder.

Sasuke had turned around on his bench to assess the odd situation that was going on with the all-female team. He quickly lost interest, however, when he heard that they were planning 'fun activities' for their last free day before classes resumed. His idea of 'fun' was training until his muscles spasmed uncontrollably. Before he turned around, though, he caught sight of an edible missile launched by Nora, considerably larger than the grapes and other bite-sized ballista the had been previously exchanging. And it was headed right for him.

Undaunted, he simply moved slightly to the side, before he realized the unintended consequences of his lazy dodge. When he looked back to his teammate, cream and crust sliding off of his blinking face, he almost choked trying to restrain an emerging laugh. He was a Uchiha. He never laughed.

He was saved from this potential humiliation when the other boy suddenly gained a maniacal smile on his face. A predatory grin from the master prankster suddenly spelled doom for the entirety of the assembled breakfast club, and it seemed that it just wasn't Sasuke's day, as one humiliation was about to quickly be replaced by another.

An edible hellfire of epic proportions descended.

* * *

Glynda was torn. She really wanted to be upset. Well, she **was** upset. But knowing what she did of the two ninja's activities the previous night, and seeing them assembled now with the other culprits of the worst culinary tragedy the school had ever seen, she had horribly mixed feelings about punishing them.

She could no longer chastise any of them for acting like children. She had seen what they were capable of, and if this was the kind of relief they needed to mentally cope with this cruel dichotomy of personality, then so be it. She just hoped that allowing them to slide by with this kind of behavior wouldn't jeopardize them in the future.

So, she just let them off with a warning, subtly sterner with the members of teams RWBY and JNPR, however.

Let them be children, while they still can, Ozpin had said.

Was that really the best thing, in this case?

* * *

"James, it is great to see you again."

"You as well my old friend."

Ozpin stood to shake the hand of the General who had just in the last hour arrived at Beacon. He clasped hands with the white-uniformed man whom he had known since childhood.

"That's quite the entourage you brought with you." Ozpin remarked, gesturing out the seamless office window to the flotilla of warships hanging around over Vale's airspace.

Ironwood smiled ruefully. "I'm afraid that they will be necessary. It is wise to present a show of force to dissuade any of our enemies from trying something during the Vytal festival."

Ozpin was not convinced on this course of action, and had good reason as he gave a smile propped up by recently obtained information. "Personally, I don't think that it is such a good idea. To rely on your army, that is."

"We can't afford to show any weakness, in this case." Ironwood insisted, slightly irritated that his friend was once again harping on his assertion that the subtler path was the best course of action.

"Oh, I'm sure that our adversaries are **intimately** familiar with your strengths… and weaknesses."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The General was incensed at this apart doubt of his capability. He would accept a lot from the man in front of him whom re respected greatly, but this kind of insubordination, if it came from one of his men, would have had severe consequences.

"While you insist on a show of strength, my old friend, you are aware that I always like to play my hand close to my chest." Ozpin rounded his desk and with a simple gesture a projection of what appeared to be a short, written paragraph appeared in between the two men. "That allows me to play the aces up my sleeve whenever I want."

Ironwood read the brief script, a statement, it seemed, from a prisoner. "What is this?" He asked, even though he already had a fairly good idea.

"I recently had two operatives of mine sent on a reconnaissance mission. They showed individual autonomy and decided to bring be back a little gift. We weren't able to extract any exact information from the detainee, but he was quite adamant, after proper persuasion, to inform us that the White Fang has somehow come into possession of the latest Atlas technology, not even being currently fielded."

"And you believe this man?"

Ozpin removed the projection between them and stared directly into his colleague's eyes. "I do. It fits in with what I had already suspected."

"And that is?"

"That our enemies already have someone in our midst." Ozpin looked out once again to the floating dreadnaughts, ugly and metallic dandelion florets drifting in the breeze. He suspected that they would be about as effective, against whatever it was that awaited them.

"We must be careful, my friend, not to show our hand to soon, and to keep our own secrets safe until the critical moment."

* * *

After the near miss with Glynda after the lunchroom massacre, the two teams and spares were found diverting themselves quietly, more or less, in the library. JNPR was content to read, as god intended in this place of worship, minus Nora who was sleeping and keeping her snoring to an acceptable minimum.

RWBY was engrossed in a strategy game in which the only ones who seemed to comprehend what was going on were the two sisters, whose voices were just bordering on the levels of propriety.

Naruto and Sasuke, already used to silently studying were taking advantage of this free time to go over some of their own notes on various sealing trials they had been conducting.

Jaune lowered his comic, regarding the now power-mad Weiss at the other table. He hadn't been making much of an effort to ask her out as of late. This was because he was frankly too tired to try. His sessions with the younger boys never seemed to get any easier, and continued to leave him exhausted for much the rest of the day. Despondent, as he had yet to even see the results of his efforts as of yet, because they had not had any spars in Goodwitch's class in some time.

As the young man sighed at the white-haired beauty so far away, his teammate sitting just to his left regarded him silently over the cover of her book with a small smile. She could see the difference his dedication had yielded. Though slightly disappointed at the boy's refusal to train with her, she was glad that he was at least taking the whole course seriously. She supposed he was just more comfortable with his fellow males, not considering asking them for help to be a sign of weakness.

She too had yet to see him in combat, but she could see with the subtle ways he moved, far less gangly and awkward than he had been in the recent past. His reactions had even seemed to improved, as he clearly registered fait noises and twitches in other people's movements, his own body acting on its own accord in case of sudden attack.

Which, they did now, as Sun and an unknown companion burst onto the scene. Sun was adamant about making introductions to all of the assembled people, but especially to the members of team RWBY, whom the now identified Neptune, took an immediate liking to.

Jaune was less than happy with the newcomer audaciously sidling up to Weiss, but sullenly refrained from doing anything about it.

"-And this is Mini-me!" Sun declared rather abruptly as he clapped a paw on Naruto's shoulder. The younger boy visibly flinched. He was now experiencing involuntary nausea in the presence of his senior look-alike.

"You're being loud." Sasuke accosted Sun, seeing the ill-effect he was having on his teammate. "If you're going to continue, please do it outside."

"Hey, hey, chill out little dude. I'm just saying hello."

Sasuke, despite this, was indeed quite coldly staring down the older boy, not backing down a half-step.

Getting no reprieve from the icy stare, Sun decided to try his luck with the usually more abiding female crew.

"Hey Blake, what's going on?" Sun amicably greeted his fellow Faunus.

Blake was very clearly not present, however. She had been despondent throughout the entire game, and now with the escalating ruckus in the room, she could no longer block out all the interrupting noise. With nary a word more to either the expectant boy or even her team, she flittered out of the room like a candle being extinguished.

The audience watched her go silently, unsure as to the nature of Blake's pointed rebuttal.

"Um, was it something I said?"

Ruby and the others gave half-hearted shrugs.

"We better go after her, see what's up." They summarily left to do just so.

Naruto too, watched them depart, his guilty conscious urging him to pursue as well, but his fear keeping him rooted to his seat.

* * *

" _If you don't mind me asking, why are you concealing the fact that you are a Faunus?"_

Blake silently and unwittingly traced the hallways back to her dorm room, recalling the conversation with Ozpin the previous night after the incident at the docks.

" _I don't want the attention and discrimination that comes with being a Faunus, I just want people to see me as, me."_

She knew it was partial truth. Her past still haunted her, making her paranoid and mistrusting. She knew that was a problem for her, and prevented her from being more trusting of those around her.

" _That is understandable." Ozpin accepted. "We all want to be judged by our actions, rather than perceptions. So, then, who are you?"_

She didn't know. Who was this person who was neither human or Faunus? Was she ashamed of being a Faunus, or ashamed because what she did and would do truly defined her? She had always done what she felt was right, but where was that now?

She had not noticed reaching her room, sitting on the foot of her bed. She sat there, staring at her knees, her hands clenching the floral duvet under her.

She did not even notice when the door opened and the rest of her team cautiously filed in.

"Blake?"

This broker her reverie.

"Are you okay?"

No.

"Yes."

"You promised us, remember," Weiss prodded her. "We're teammates, and you promised that you'd share when something was wrong."

Something, everything seemed so very wrong, in that instant. It wasn't just the strange cabal of Torchwick and the White Fang. It seemed that ever since the two foreign boys had started becoming more a part of the routine, that the very course of the day wasn't quite in sync with where it should be.

"I'm just afraid that this is too big for us. That our enemies are too strong. I don't know what we can do to take on the whole White Fang and Torchwick."

"Don't worry!" Ruby fiercely declared. If only this confidence translated into strength. "You have your invincible team to back you up! And don't forget about our other friends, I'm sure they would all lend a hand to help us out if we needed it. We're going to take the Bad Guys down!"

Blake wished that she could share in this confidence, but with her inside knowledge of the organization, she was not rid of her trepidations. And could they rely on the others? On the instructors? On the two that were ubiquitous and yet never truly present?

"We just have to have a plan! I think the first step should be to gather information."

"I think I have a guy I can go to request some info." Yang volunteered.

"If we can figure out what their target is, we can figure out where they are going to strike next. I'll see if I can't find something out by looking at Schnee Dust Company records on the recent robberies."

"Perfect! Now we're getting somewhere! Oh!" Ruby quickly jumped tracks and clapped her hands on her cheeks in recognition. "We left the gameboard in the Library!"

Not wasting another second, she dashed out of the recently shut door.

* * *

"I swear, it's like cleaning up after one your pranks."

This jibe drew no acknowledgment form the still pensive other. Naruto and Sasuke had wrapped up their dangerous doodles after it became evident that they were not going to accomplish anything in the contaminated work environment. They had spied the neglected board game left by team RWBY, and decided that since they were headed in much the same direction, they would do the favor of returning it.

Sasuke frowned. More so. He had not witnessed the entirety of the confrontation last night, but it was fairly evident what happened.

They had both taken another human's life before, though he had to admit, never before was it so callous and personal. He didn't really have any idea how that would have affected him, much less his benevolent teammate. He had almost brought himself to kill, once, and that was with the boy standing next to him.

But Naruto hadn't reciprocated this determination, not back then. He would always spare a life, if he could. Did that make him a fool, or better?

This whole situation was seriously screwing with their heads, Sasuke decided. The degree of separation had not dulled his desire for revenge nor the desire to return to their home world. But surviving the confrontation, and having become so dependent on the blond for a comprehending companion, Sasuke was no longer a sure of his actions as he had been.

The ends were no longer on equal terms with the means. At what point did the cost of power become too much? Without the interminable dull throbbing coming from his neck, the Snake no longer seemed so appealing an option.

Like a spectral Aura, as soon as he thought about the misguided Sanin, he felt an ominous presence as they rounded the corner.

Three unidentified individuals occupied the narrow hallway in front of them. Two women and a man, of similar age to the other students. Their appearances were no more shocking than the others that they had encountered, despite the vibrant turquoise and glue hair on two of them.

It was their disposition, their presence that so set Sasuke off. Even Naruto immediately tensed at the increased weight of the surrounding air. It was suddenly a bog in the building, scent of decay overwhelming. These people were so very different from the other students.

They could see the blood on their hands.

"Oh, hello." The voice was the source of the gravitas that had swept over them. It originated from the suave woman furthest form the two boys. Nothing about her appearance betrayed anything except her beauty. Her mane of untamable black hair gave her an ageless maturity. Those penetrating pink eyes delivering a sweet venom.

"We're students from Haven, here for the Vytal festival."

If he wasn't chocking, Sasuke would have scoffed at the obvious lie.

"Do you think you could tell us where room 602 is?"

Still, she was no Orochimaru. Sasuke remembered who was standing next to him, and replied.

"You're pretty lost. The six-hundreds are on the other side of the campus."

"I see." She clearly already knew this. "Well, thank you very much, I suppose we'll see you around some other time then." There wasn't a doubt in anyone's mind that this was the inevitable truth.

The three departed the way Naruto and Sasuke had come, passing in between the two. The tension didn't ease until the sashaying backside of the woman disappeared around the end of the hallway.

"Naruto! Sasuke!"

Ruby's voice brought them both from their tense and fixated states. Sasuke idly noticed that he had unknowingly crushed part of the gameboard that he had kept folded and tucked under his arm. Oops.

"Ruby."

"Who were those guys?" Ruby looked passed the two as she approached, staring at the afterimage of the malevolent presence. Good question, one which Sasuke pointedly ignored.

Srugging, he handed her the deformed game. "Here."

Ruby blinked, not recognizing the incongruous object at first. "Oh, thanks!" She didn't yet notice the finger-shaped holes in its spine.

"Oh!" Once again, an incidental thought jogged Ruby's memory. "Come with me, I have something for you two!"

This was almost as much a surprise as the recent encounter, and neither knew entirely what to say. They placidly followed the now ecstatic girl as she regressed with celerity to her room not a few doors down.

When they arrived at the threshold of team RWBY's dorm, they saw three of the girls divided between looking at the arrival of the two males, and the growing pile of clothes, books and other miscellanea that was currently surround the excavation of Ruby. Only her combat-dressed rump and legs were visible as she dove into a trunk of improbable volume to contain all the contents that were currently being divested from its girth.

Blake was once again on edge, though she wasn't quite sure why their sudden presence triggered her so. In fact, she wasn't even sure it was the both of them, that made her react like this. It seemed that the blond with the currently lost and somewhat distraught look on his face set off unidentified emotions in her. Fear? Empathy? Something else?

"Ah-ha!" Ruby exclaimed as she located her apparent goal. From the confines of the trunk (which, incidentally, no one had any idea when it had shown up in the room), she produced two longer, wrapped parcels, and one medium-sized carboard carton.

She leapt over to the two shinobi, still waiting patiently for the reason for their presence to be revealed.

"Here!"

She extended the longest of the wrapped parcels to Sasuke, and the two remaining ones to the blinking blond. The rest of the observers watched the proceedings, equally confused.

The two looked at each other before they delicately began unwrapping the bundled parcels first, slightly affeered of whatever they might contain, given the girl's slightly eccentric nature.

Both cloths fell to the floor near simultaneously, and the two stood baring unique and sheathed swords. Sasuke's was the longer of the two by far, but was otherwise fairly unassuming. It was an amalgamation of a Chinese jian and a western broadsword, the blade balanced perfectly around the truncate raven-wing guard. The sheath was an ebony turtle shell, the gunmetal raven's wings edged in gold folded into the woven sharkskin hilt, the pommel a pearl-esque ovoid that absorbed the ambient light.

Naurto held his own blade like a newborn in his two hands, the blade delicately balanced on the back of his left hand. It currently lacked a sheath and he could admire the quasi-gunome polish on its single edge, the iridescent bluing dividing the layers of the edge into a Neptunian atmosphere. The blade, scarcely longer than his forearm with fingers extended, terminated in a finely-honed clipped-point, menacing in its obvious purpose to pry open layers of armor. The guard was a simple thin bobbin, and the handle was wrapped in crimson pebbled leather.

He was so engrossed with intricacy of the simple design, he lost focus for all other things around him. He didn't even grasp the concept yet, that this proffered weapon was in fact a gift.

"Here."

He broke concentration on the blade, looking to see Ruby with the contents of the cardboard carton held aloft in her own delicate grip. It was an elongated turtle shell, a bite taken out of where the head should have been. He realized, after some pause, that it was in fact, a shield.

No, not a shield, he reminded himself, a buckler. The size and shape being equally useful for offense as well as precision defense.

He gingerly took the buckler from Ruby's grasp, turning it over in the process and taking in the much for intricate backside. There was an arm strap of supple leather, a joystick like handle with a few triggers, which, knowing Ruby surely were not for decoration only.

"The buckler also functions as a sheath, so you can carry the two together."

So you could, he saw the blade would fit perfectly in the grooves provided for it and fit snugly in that squared-off bite on the front. Without the sword, though, those edges would give quite a poke to anyone on the receiving end.

He wording finally seemed to register in his mind. "You mean…. this is for me?"

Ruby could only smile elatedly.

"Of course! I promised didn't I? Besides, it was so much fun working on them!"

A light went off in the background as Yang put some of the pieces together.

"Wait! So that diversion the other day in town…"

"Yep! Those were the final pieces I needed. So, what do you think?"

This last addressed to the two gob smacked boys who, honestly couldn't do much thinking right now. Both were very much engrossed and flabbergasted at the largess of the gift.

Sasuke had drawn his Euro-Chinese fusion sword from its scabbard and was gazing at his reflection in its polished silver blade, his face split comically like a funhouse mirror by the concave blood groove running the length of the blade.

He was struck almost as dumb as his comrade, he could scarcely remember the last such gift he received (if indeed he ever had received such a personally significant offering). He had not expected to be included so intimately in their group as to be the recipient of anyone's generosity.

For Naruto, well he knew that he had never gotten anything like this from anyone. Not even his pseudo grandfather the Hokage had given him such a thoughtful gift. It was an emotional journey to virgin land, and he had no idea how to react.

The room's other occupants watched with glowing smiles at this touching familial scene. It was a transplanted Christmas of bizarre ritual and participants but with a slightly somber tone as they realized the profundity with which the girl's gifts seemed to affect the two. It was as if they had never been the recipient of someone's selflessness.

Blake felt a little ashamed, looking at the reaction on the blond boy's face. He could withhold the look of abject pleasure, elation and embarrassment. She had no basis to feel mistrust with the boy, he wore his emotions so easily on his sleeve, he couldn't hide the emotional pain bubbling to the surface underneath the joy.

"Ruby… I don't know what to say. Thank you. Thank you so much, for everything. This, is so much more than I could have ever asked for."

Ruby beamed at the praise. It was always so satisfying to a craftsman (or woman) to receive honest praise of their work.

"It wasn't easy to figure out, you know. I had to pry the information from Jaune, about what kind of fighting styles you were working on. Jaune also said that you were working on practicing techniques with a Claymore, so I had no idea which one to go for. But, in the end I decided that this was more you."

Naruto blinked in slight confusion.

"How so?"

"Simple," Ruby held up a finger "you are a close-range fighter, by in large, so this will be easier to incorporate to what you already do. Also, the shield and the sword kind of resemble you. You like to protect people, and are willing to fight to do so. So, shield and sword."

This was almost too much for the boy. He had never expected to be accepted so whole heartedly into this group of people who just a few short months ago, were complete strangers. It was in a way, so wrong. This wasn't even his world, and here he was being treated as if he belonged.

"Hey, Naruto, are you ok?"

He had long since started to tear up, and now the salty drops were running freely from his eyes and beading up in the finely oiled surface of the blade.

The rest of the room was very unsure of what was transpiring. What was just displayed as the purest of joys, had seamlessly switched into wracking sorrow as Naruto clutched the symbols of unrequited friendship to his chest.

Ruby turned to Sasuke as he cupped a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok." Sasuke explained, in reference to his friend. "Thank you, Ruby."

With that, Sasuke stepped over to Naruto, and uncharacteristically draped an arm around the quietly sobbing young man. He looked from his friend, to Ruby. "Really, thank you."

Ruby and the others just looked on, unsure exactly what had precipitated this emotional episode. Ruby bit her bottom lip, not unsure that she might have done something wrong to upset the boy. But as she looked as Sasuke assumed the mantel of emotional pillar for his eternal partner, she began to understand that it was just something a long time in the making.

A baptism to cleanse the soul from sin.

Ironwood wore a viral scowl on his face. If he came into contact with any of his subordinates today, they were sure to catch it.

* * *

He had probed into the lead that Ozpin had not subtly hinted, and checked his records and receipts for any sign of tampering. It wasn't obvious, which should have figured, but it was undeniably there. It was, at first, like looking for a needle he had never seen before in a haystack of grey straws. He had no inclination as to which project it was that had been infiltrated, but that one had.

The order for 50 of the original prototypes had morphed into 60 by the time it reached the various factories responsible for the Paladin's components. This was especially disturbing, because it meant multiple leaks, not only in the requisition of the extra 10, but also the fact that both factories that were to produce the main components had only registered the complete of 50.

So, White Fang had infiltrators in not only his staff, but both factories. They had even taken the extra precaution of not taking completed units. They just spirited away the items that needed special equipment to render. They would then assemble the pieces on location, not risking transporting a completed unit which would be difficult to conceal. Smart.

He was not in the habit of complementing his enemies, and he was not about to start. He opted, instead for giving props to Ozpin and his so called 'agents'.

"Glynda." He greeted the woman in a decidedly clipped tone, not his usual flirtatious and reserved self.

She noticed this immediately, raised a blonde eyebrow above her wireframe glasses.

"Something wrong, James?"

"Yes. No. Well, not much anymore, although there are still quite a few questions that need answered. Maybe I can rely on Ozpin for that. You can tell him, by the way, that his spies have earned their keep. They just perhaps kept me, and by association, the Atlas military from looking like fools."

Glynda nodded in understanding. She knew on a personal level, the two such agents of Ozpin's to whom Ironwood was referring. While she was glad that their efforts had come to some use, it was only an indicator that they would be called upon again.

If a tool wasn't broken, why fix it?


	12. Sun on my Side

"Ok, so we all know what we are going to do, right?" The team leader questioned her subordinates, who all nodded in acquiescence.

"I'm going to go to my source downtown and see if he can't give me any leads to follow." Yang recited her duty.

"You and I are going to go to the CCTS tower so I can request the documents from my father's company." Weiss directed this back to her leader.

"I'm going to attend the White Fang rally this evening and see what kind of things they are saying to get people to join. We may be able to learn something from their recruitment tactics."

The other and Ruby in particular still felt uncomfortable at letting Blake go alone into such a dangerous situation, but they didn't have much of a choice seeing that she was the only one who could do so unnoticed.

"Well, ok then. I guess we're all ready let's-"

"Hey! You're not going to leave us behind, are you?"

The girls in the room leapt in fright at the sudden interjection, only to sigh in frustration as they realized that Sun and his teammate Neptune had been eavesdropping on them during their entire planning.

It was resolved, after much argument and a few acutely placed threats, that Sun would accompany Blake to the rally, and Neptune would go with Yang to the information broker. It was not a totally unfortunate change of plan, as now they would all have a partner to back them up in case of incident.

"Do you think we should ask the others to help us? Naruto could probably pass for a Faunus." Yang offered. She was of the opinion that they could use all the help they could get. And besides, the more the merrier.

Blake shook her head. "I don't want anyone more than what is necessary knowing about this. The more people that know, the harder it is to keep a secret. It's bad enough that these two are getting involved." She gestured to the two unexpected males, who had the decency to look mildly chagrined.

"Right! Fewer ears means fewer mouths. Let's get this operation underway!"

It would have been impossible for Ruby to know, however, that there were indeed a few more ears privy to their plans. But the mouths that they were attached to were the kind that knew when to remain shut.

* * *

"The White Fang are gathering for a rally…" Ozpin, in an increasingly familiar setting addressed the two ninja as they stood in far more respectful attention in front of his desk. "…tonight." The two flinched at this information. It was cutting it close.

Naruto was also a little uncomfortable with the way they gained this information. Sasuke had saw fit to inform him after they left in such glowing elation from team RWBY's room, that he had obeyed Ozpin's orders and installed a bug in their room. It would intercept all incoming and outgoing signals from any scrolls, as well as audio from the room itself.

It was a betrayal of their confidence, but Naruto justified it with the fact that they were only doing it so that they could watch over the girls during their risky and illegal operations.

If they found out, would they understand his reasoning, or would they feel used?

He tried to bight back this growing doubt. It would be counterproductive to the mission at hand. He would be gone one day, too, never to return. And then whatever they felt about him would no longer matter. He would have done his good for this world, and hopefully made it easier for them.

He would keep telling himself this, wondering if he was lying more to them, or himself.

"Were you able to requisition what I asked for?"

In affirmation of Sasuke's question, Ozpin produced two familiar looking black duffle bags from underneath his desk, and set it on the polished ironwood.

The two shinobi moved to take possession of whatever was in the bag. Naruto still had no idea as to what kind of machinations Sasuke had planned, although it soon become evident when he opened the heavy metal zipper to find a bone-white mask staring back up at him. He recognized it immediately, and the accompanying black garments upon which it was laid.

"I must say, it was quite curious request. It reminded me greatly of the uniforms the White Fang now uses, but it certainly wouldn't do for simply infiltrating their ranks. I take it that it holds some significance from where you come from?"

"ANBU." It was Naruto who answered, removing the mask, which he now realized with grim irony was in the form of a fox. "They are a kind of elite unit, where we come from. The mask is to remove identity. When you put it on, you are no longer whoever you were, you are the animal it represents."

Naruto had been enthralled with the almost folkloric mystique of the ANBU. They had been his guards and protectors, when he was too little to defend himself. Not that he needed it, their presence was usually enough to dissuade any potential trouble. Whoever they were underneath, did not come to play in their duty. They could hate his guts and wish him dead, in whatever life they left behind. But as the operative, they were bound to do their duty.

He realized, that he could use something like that himself, now. Glancing at Sasuke, he wondered if this was what they the boy had in mind when he requested these costumes.

Ozpin nodded, seeming to comprehend. "A way to distance the human from the horrors they would have to commit, huh?" Naruto flinched, and Ozpin saw his mistake. "I do not expect you to have to do anything too unsavory, though. The masks and cloaks should be enough to hide your identity from all but the most observant. And using those swords, rather than your new, more unique weapons, should also help to throw off suspicion.

Whatever helps, whatever I can do to make this easier, know that I will. I am not so in human as I may seem. I care deeply for every one of my people. And while you are here, that includes you too."

Sasuke glowered as he shrugged on the bone-colored vest and reattached his utility pouch.

"Just tell us what we need to do."

"Very well."

* * *

Blake pointed at the three claw marks etched into the concrete corner of the building on their immediate right.

"The White Fang uses certain symbols, to indicate where their rallies, bases, and other meeting points are." Sun nodded in understanding.

They had left their comrades some hours ago, to accomplish their own tasks. It was some hours past dark, now, and the two had made their way to the location Blake had been able to coax from the steganography used to make it invisible from all but the initiated.

As they got within spitting distance of the entrance, two formidable looking White Fang regulars on either side, Blake handed Sun a pre-requisitioned Grimm mask, which they both proceeded to don. This would prevent anyone save people familiar with them, from recognizing their faces.

They were herded into the open warehouse, hundreds of subtle voices reaching a moderate and slightly irritating din as they echoed throughout the vast and open structure. The voices reverberated among the metal struts and the cloudy glass skylights, and past the shadowed and cloaked form crouched in the eves.

The raven masked form was an ill-placed gargoyle in the rafters, and near invisible to even those counting the number of halogen lights that had shorted out since they switched them on after years of being idle.

They could hear, distinctly, individual voices separated and bounced up to the focal point where they sat and waited. They scanned the crowd and moved towards the partially lit stage. They caught the behemoth shadow lurking just out of the light's radius, cringed. Nothing to do about it now.

Their other half lurked in the writhing mass of Faunus below. They had styled themselves as slightly older than their genuine age, taller as well, with a reminiscent short-cut shag of red hair. The racoon tail was an extrapolation too good to resist.

Under his guise as a manufactured Faunus, the man scanned the room, located the two familiar forms in the crowd he was looking for. He too returned his gaze to the front. The show was about to begin.

"Brothers! Sisters! Members of the White Fang, some who are joining us for the first time. Pay attention to the next speaker, he is a trusted ally in our fight against humans and has promised us the power to overthrow humanity once and for all!"

The cacophony of cheers subdued any of the concerned murmurs that bubbled up in between the cracks and the giant Faunus garbed in the trite uniform exited the limelight to make room for their honored guest.

Four sets of eyes locked on the orange haired eccentric who revealed himself from the dimmed wings. Those same four tensed. Four became two, and the watchers siphoned out his staged showing from their forethoughts, all their attention diverted to the rest of the room. They knew what he had to say, they knew what was going to happen. It was all a matter of when.

"I don't understand." Blake whispered furtively to the equally shocked Sun next to her. "Why would the White Fang work with Torchwick?"

He was truly a vile man, few humans, let alone Faunus would tolerate his peculiarities and superiority complex. But say what one may, the man was if nothing else, resourceful. And it soon became evident that it was not him that the group sought to bind their ties, it was what he offered.

The hastily installed floodlights switched on with an audible buzz as the crowd caught sight of the bipedal battleship previously lurking in the shadows, and they fell silent.

Before the roar of animalistic cheers from all those present reverberated and shook the sheet metal walls.

And so, the hand had been showed. Though they were unable to stack the deck before the game, the two in the crowd were formidable players. They had only to wait just a little longer for the cards to be played.

"Come forward all new members! Come into the light and join us!"

Blake and Sun tensed. Broke ranks.

Throw'em down.

Torchwick caught the two fish swimming against the tide in his sights, and motioned to loyal and ready pawns surround the crowd and stage. Get them.

Call.

The redhead raised two fingers to his face in a hush gesture, and the paper scraps that he had been spreading for the past few minutes, meandering about the crowd started to burn and produce prodigious amounts of smoke.

"Fire!"

Someone shouted, and there was panic. The two spies fled in the confusion. The assassins stayed.

Raise.

The raven dropped like a weighted handkerchief from the rafters. He landed on the giant metal man, slapped a handful of postcard sized sheets with calligraphy of scribbles onto the vents in back, and then leapt into the shroud of confusion.

"Don't let them escape!" The aspirational criminal mastermind shouted at his minions. He had not noticed the cloaked raven until it passed him and plowed into the black hole vortex of fog looming just off the stage.

"What was th-"

An explosion from the back of the stage was everything, and then suddenly nothing.

Ears ringing, Torchwhik lifted himself up gently onto his hands and knees. He spotted his prized bowler, almost a meter away, bowled over by the blast. He picked it up replaced it in its proper station on top of his carrot top.

An afterthough, he looked around, saw others getting up around him, good. Looked at the now prone form of his latest tow. Not good. He crouched so he could see into the cockpit. He pressed a few buttons and the console started to light up, slowly at first, then his face was bathed with that gentle blue glow. It was the only light in the room now, the explosion having shattered the fragile bulbs.

Fortunately, however, the Paladin was not a delicate flower. It was a machine of destruction and war.

Though the blast had indeed targeted the weaker areas of the suit, its durability had actually spared those in close proximity to the detonation, the mass of the armor blocking them off from most of the shockwave.

That did not mean, however, that Roman Torchwick was not particularly annoyed at having been knocked off of his feet by the failed sabotage.

He looked out at the receding smoke, to forms like twin monsters of Lockness loomed out at him. Upon first glance, he thought that they might be some of his own. White masks, white armor looking ever so much like any other he had seen for the past few days, but as the stars in his vision dispersed along with the last wisps of concealment, he saw the full votive animal masks leering at him from the darkness.

The two figures were crouched and poised like the animals they portended to be, a fox, and a raven, he saw now. And they were waiting for him to make the next move. The other two escapees fled his memory as all of his venom was directed at these two who were obviously the more meddlesome of problems at the moment.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A couple of kids playing dress up? You guys can't even get the costume right, what makes you think that you can take on the real White Fang?" His bravado was propping him up, but as the two gave their reply, short swords emerging from their cloaks, he began to feel some slight twinge of doubt.

"Get them."

White Fang members, far more than he had originally assumed had survived the blast, descended on the two as they stood back to back. The Faunus were foaming at the mouth with rage, but alas that did not make them any better fighters. With almost an impatient laziness, the two either cut down the approaching assailants, or disarmed them. In a few cases, literally.

Those that had yet to join the foray began to back away in rational fear of these two juggernauts. Their comrades lay in a mixed state of groaning and silent at the feet of the two assailants. The brief respite from the White Fang's assault was not passed by, they two charged without hesitation to the stage. It was evident who the target was.

They leapt over the dumbfounded neophyte soldiers, the fox using one of their gawking faces as a stepping stone to gain altitude and lend his strike the strength of gravity.

This made the incoming strike from a motorcycle-sized chainsaw impossible to dodge, however. The fox-masked fighter had to hastily abort his strike in favor of an ad-hoc block which, while prevented him from being torn asunder, did nothing to mitigate the force behind the strike.

Without purchase on any physical object, he was sent flying like a baseball into the corrugated steel garage-type door. The panels deforming into a gross impression of his outline.

The raven watched his comrade as he was sent flying, but did not halt his own course. His thrust at Torchwick was a blur to the man's eyes, clear, though, that he wouldn't be able to dodge it. He needn't have fret, for the human bull with the chainsaw proved his rank as a White Fang Lieutenant.

The saw carved a deep gouge into the stage as it moved to block the strike from the short sword wielded by the raven-masked assassin. It may as well have been a toothpick as it stopped on the cowl of the sawblade.

But it didn't stop the far smaller aggressor. He made a feint in between the big man and the blade. The lieutenant let go briefly from the saw and let it rest in the woodwork as he swung a hook and then kick as the first was dodged. The raven was forced to break off his attack and fall back a pace.

Stepping back into a defensive stance, the cloaked raven acknowledged his comrade who had picked himself out of the debris and had apparently recovered. A moment of silence was shared between the two, a simple glance and they were back to it.

They both rushed the ox-Faunus like flachettes, seeming intent to pass right through his missive bulk. Their enemy had other plans. He retrieved his weapon from where it stood and swung it in a horizontal arc, trying to bisect the two before they could cause any more nuisance.

Fox went low and Raven went high, that latter drilling a kick into the bull's mask. Fox slid like a pro baseball player through the man's legs and continued his charge at the orange haired man.

"I don't think so. You're not going to catch me with my pants down twice you little snot."

The man was not going to sit idle and be a peaceful target for the two would-be assassins. He had used the time bought for him to get to the only cover readily available: the Paladin's cockpit. The one-way glass canopy closed over his head just as the fox came within striking distance. His blade shot out but was only able to cause the smallest of chips to be dislodged from the hardened material.

"Not so tough now are you, huh? What?" Torchwick glanced at his own reflection in the glass, not yet overlaid with targeting systems, and had noticed the gaping and jagged hole that had been torn into his hat, no doubt from a piece of lucky shrapnel.

"You. Little. Shit. That was my favorite hat!"

Even without the guidance systems in place, Torchwick whisked the massive paw of the suit in attempt to swat the annoying fly. The target just jumped onto the lumbering limb and furiously attacked various apparent gaps in the armor, looking for a weak spot.

"Get off!" The torso spun a full 360 in an attempt to dislodge the assailant. He stood fast, however, and Torchwick had to abandon the effort to spin him off when he began to see stars himself.

"Oh? Well, what about this then?"

A sumptuous button had caught the crook's eye and when depressed, a Vulcan gun sprouted from the armor's back. Crosshairs now lit up on his screen, centered right on the black-cloaked barnacle.

The short burst was nothing but a roaring flame, the individual shots indistinguishable in their rapidity. When the smoke cleared, however, there was no masked warrior to be found in his vision.

He did however see a few of the White Fang stragglers that had been mowed down in the crossfire.

"Shit." Not that he cared for the beasts, but if he was to have the cooperation of the group, he needed not to kill their fodder.

"All White Fang members retreat, except for you." The paladin's stumpy finger gestured at the lieutenant who was engaged in an unsuccessful game of whack-a-mole with the other cloaked figure. The rest were all too happy to oblige as they tripped over comrades both living and dead to the exits so that they might escape the oncoming Armageddon.

"Now where did that- shit!"

The fox did not remain hidden for long and was suddenly the only figure on Torchwick's screen, as he slapped a piece of paper on the window. He then leapt off and out of view.

"What? You think a little piece of paper is going to change my mind? What is this, your manifesto? It's just a bunch of squiggles."

The paper began to spontaneously combust in a slow burn on the glass, reaching the end it detonated much the same as the first unexpected attack had been executed. The whole building once again shook on its foundation.

"What on earth was that?" Sun looked back to the warehouse that suddenly gained a new skylight as fingers of flame burst through all of the ceiling's other openings.

"Do you really want to find out?" Blake questioned her temporary partner as the retreated from their compromised position at the rally.

"You saw that armor suit." Sun pointed out. "Do you really think we can just leave it there, with Torchwick?"

She knew her fellow Faunus had a point, but whatever had caused that explosion wasn't something she particularly wanted to mess with. A minute's pause in contemplation, and another explosion rocked the port district. Now she definitely wanted to exercise caution. But the explosions either meant that the Paladin was destroyed, or that whatever was consternating it, wasn't. Yet.

'I'm going to regret this.' Blake made sure she did still indeed have her sword before she turned tail and started running back to the source of commotion.

"Blake! Wait!"

The fox crouched low in the dust and debris, cautiously optimistic that his overcharged tag had done the trick and taken out the irritating man. Knowing his luck, however, he was fully prepared when a robotic hand slammed down into the space that he once occupied.

His partner had taken advantage of the distraction, aware of the heavy-handed tactic. He charged the ox-man and aimed to take out the man's use of his weapon. He thrust the najinato into the joints of the Faunus's massive paw, eliciting a pained cry. He had merely enraged the giant, however, and suffered a backhand which sent him sprawling.

He lept back to his feet as his opponent casually pulled out the sword like it was a minor irritant. He threw it like a tomahawk back at the masked man, who deftly caught it. The man-beast charged like his animal nature, a human battering ram.

He was just making it too easy.

The raven stuck his sword into the ground and began forming hand-seals underneath the cover of the cloak. As the bull got within spitting distance, he did. A fireball emerged from his mouth and engulfed the raging Taurus. He was caught off-guard when the hulking mass paid it no more heed than a warm day as he barreled through it and into the raven.

The cloaked warrior was knocked back further still, feeling the strike most certainly. Presumably, he was glowering as he picked himself up. A brief flash of red behind the slits where his eyes should have been was the only flag as he once again renewed the attack.

The ox-man chuckled a wet, choking snort, and awaited the miniscule missile. He threw a punch which shattered the ground it contacted, but not the target, which once again leapt into the air and onto the back of the beast. An almost invisible wire spanned he two armored hands which he wrapped in a loop around the throat of the impossibly strong man.

The muscles on his neck were bulging like a black-widow's web as the thin wire cut into the dark skin, a red line of blood underneath as it cut through the epidermal. A sudden burst of Aura from the bull loosened the garrote however, and the man tossed his head back into the mask of his attacker.

The raven fell from his perch to the ground, and had to roll to the side quickly to avoid another earth-shattering strike. Still with wire in hand, he looped it around the wrist that was implanted next to him. He fastened the hasty knot with a kunai into the earth and the rolled away.

As the man struggled to free his trapped appendage, the raven rapidly went through another, longer series of seals. As he ended, he grasped his own wrist as the dark cavern was suddenly illuminated by a crackling blue light that was like nails on a chalkboard to the ones listening who had above-human hearing.

The raven bowed and leaned further, and was once again off. The few paces between the two lasted less than a heartbeat, as the heart of the beast was skewered by the grieved hand of the masked man. The crackling electricity had cauterized the wound and the only thing left in the air was the smell of burnt flesh and the scent of ozone, and the barest of trickles of oxblood from the silenced beast's mouth.

The raven extracted his fist and the beast remained upright, crouched on his haunches like a monument to natural selection. The raven looked to see how his comrade faired.

The fox had not dealt with the hulking armor as swiftly as his compatriot had dealt with his opponent. He was limited, as far as what he could do, to damage the construct. He had tried using multiple explosives, to seemingly no effect. While they indeed were strong, they were not directed and thus had little effect on reinforced armor. He would have to rectify this, later.

He could also not risk the use of his signature technique, being too easily recognizable. His sword, while of a high quality, was not able to pierce even the weakest points on the Paladin, of which he had received a crash course in their location hours before.

He was tired of playing this game of cat and mouse, though, and his frustration was starting to make him sloppy. A mere clip from one giant fist sent him tumbling once more into a pile of rubble. He threw, rather than picked himself up and witnessed the metal man once more use the installed machine gun to fire a burst in his direction. He managed to replace himself with a light fixture that was on its last legs. He watched the confusion of Torchwick in his suit as he struggled to find out where his target had gone.

He could breath, for a few minutes at least. He saw that his comrade had defeated the Ox Faunus and was now attempting to engage the powered suit himself. He was fairing little better, though. Strike, move, strike, move, he was at least able to keep ahead of the lumbering machine.

Fox closed his eyes, and tried to tune out the chaos around him and focus on the center of his palm. There was a little trickle of blood snaking it way down his arm and pooling into his cupped hand, giving him a good focal point. He had thus far not been able to accomplish this technique without another body aiding him, but there was a first time for everything. And he had no option to fail, now.

Darkness, even more than the simple absence of light. A sphere of illumination, swirling around a single point in space. Soon, it was accruing a steady stream from all directions, each one fighting for dominance within that point. He struggled to keep them from the anarchy to which they tended. At last, he had added the last one and they each writhed in their eccentric orbits like a tangle of snakes.

A drop of sweat pooled up underneath the mask.

Suddenly, total illumination, the streams became infinitely small in their shells, whirling in a perfectly indescribable pattern. Now!

"There!"

Torchwick had located the missing assailant as his target dropped from the ceiling. His eyes widened at the glowing sphere that drowned out all else but the expressionless mask as it descended to meet the extended arm of the suit.

His burgeoning confidence at the initial infect of the move was dashed as the suit gave a moan and then a shrill shriek as the metal was torn asunder. The sphere burrowed into the arm, grinding away at armor and circuitry alike, inhibited no more than an auger through balsa wood.

His eyes widened, and then everything was light.

The cockpit shattered under his technique, and he ended it as the monstrosity fell over dead on its back. Concentration, more than exertion had fatigued him, but he felt a surge of victory as he looked at the unconscious form of Torchwick still strapped into the control chair. He was a slippery bastard, to be sure, but there he was, ripe for the picking.

He yanked his arm back as his instincts instructed, and almost too late as a thin blade slashed into his shoulder and almost through the light armor he had over his torso. He backpaddled to see the newcomer.

He fought through the initial shock of seeing the blow originating from such a petit girl, but bi-color eyes and hair or no, he had face far stranger, and far prettier. He felt the looming presence of his partner next to him, equally tense at this potential foe.

She paid them little heed, however, and just smiled. A curiously innocent look and a wave, nary a word. She cut the straps restraining Torchwick, and with a strength belied by her small stature, effortlessly lifted him up before directing her parasol to the roof.

Before either of the two could move to stop her, she winked, and as quickly ascended and was gone out one of the many new holes in the structure.

The two shared moment of silence with the other, not quite sure of how to proceed, or indeed if they had technically been victorious with their assignment.

"Soooo…. Are you guys on our side?"

The incredulity of the voice drew the attention of the two masked warriors, who looked to see two Faunus who had evidently not fled from the destruction. Blake palmed her face lightly, while not taking her attention away from the two powerful figures.

The interrogative seemed to break them from whatever reverie they were lost in, and the recognition of the two Faunus sent them into quick action. The raven moved to place a hand on the shoulder of his injured comrade, whose arm had suffered a deep dash and now remained limp. A hand-seal formed under the cover of his cloak, and the two were gone in a swirl of leaves.

"Who- what on Earth was that?"

Blake had no answer.

* * *

"Are you guys alright?"

Yang had showed up with a motion-sick Neptune, and Weiss and Ruby arrived not late after from separate directions. All were wracked with concern for the Faunus pair who had been at the scene even before the police had arrived with their entourage of festive lights.

"We're fine." Physically, that was. Blake's emotional discomfort had yet to settle. The appearance of the two masked and cloaked warriors unnerved her greatly. While they resembled the White Fang whom they fought, were most ardently human. She could smell them.

An enemy of your enemy is not always your friend, Blake reminded herself. Though they made no moves to do either Sun or her any harm, that didn't mean that they wouldn't do so in the future. Yet another presence to worry about. She wouldn't let the others be concerned over their existence, though.

"Yeah, A-OK here! We didn't even have to do any fighting, these two guys in masks showed up and totally kicked the White Fang's ass!"

So much for keeping it subtle.

The others reacted to Sun's declaration with unbridled curiosity, though not with enough trepidation in Blake's opinion.

"Woah! Sounds like we got some powerful guys on our side if they were able to take down something like that with only the two of them."

"Not necessarily, Yang." Weiss played the voice of reason. "They might be against the White Fang, but that doesn't mean we can rely on them to help us out in the future. In fact, we may have to watch out for them if they decide to go after us next."

"Eh, you two worry too much."

No sense worrying about the unknown future.

* * *

Ozpin briefly reviewed the action on his scroll as the two boys sat on the couch in the safe house, slowly peeling off their armor and other parts of their disguise. Naruto winced slightly when he was force to remove the tight black undershirt, removing the material that had become stuck in the coagulated blood on his shoulder.

"You're injured!" Glynda had made it her business to see the boy's departure and arrival went smoothly. If asked, she would never have admitted it was anything other than professionalism.

Sasuke found that highly suspect as he watched the older woman dote on his teammate. She had disappeared into another room only to return with a sterile pad and disinfectant. She dabbed a little on the pad and began to brush off the dried blood on the young man's shoulder. After cleaning the wound, she poured a little of the solution on the wound itself, making Naruto wince silently.

With the amount of blood that had accrued on his suit and arm, she had expected a much more profound gash on the boy's flesh. What was revealed after the peroxide bath was less angry red and more like something that had been caused days ago. In fact, looking at the cut astutely, she could clearly see the wound knitting itself back together before her very eyes. In another few hours, it would probably close up completely with not a blemish to show it was there in the first place.

She blinked, astounded. Aura wasn't known to be able to be used for healing, only defense. She chalked it up to just another piece of evidence that the two were not from their world.

"Hmmm." Ozpin hummed as he finished reviewing their performance and pocketed the scroll after it went black. "Well, I suppose we should be grateful that we had no casualties tonight."

Naruto glowered at the man. If that was the best compliment the man could think of, he would be sure to cause more prolific property damage next time.

"Even though Torchwick got away, and the rest of the White Fang escaped, I would consider it a success. Not only did you defeat the Paladin prototype with minimal collateral, we forced them to reveal one of their operatives and expose them in the fight. Well done, you two."

They were both content with the praise, although not entirely sure why. They still had no idea who indeed "they" were, and what their end goal even was. They had also killed. Ended other lives for the ostensible good that the man in front of them kept promising. But somehow, the honesty the headmaster imbued into his approval reached some primal desire in the both of them for recognition.

It was the same sort of feeling they rarely got from their sensei, and never from any parental figure.

Sasuke watched Glynda now move over to him, seeing the blond had been fixed with but a simple cloth bandage. He tried to swat her hand away as she fussed over him, shinning a flashlight in his eyes to make sure he wasn't suffering from a concussion. She defeated his feeble attempts, and in this post-combat haze compounded with the lack of sleep they were now suffering, he started to drift off on the remarkably comfortable couch.

As his eyes fluttered closed, he saw a nostalgic scene he had never witnessed as a child. This surreal situation morphed into a glimpse of a past that never was. A brother with whom he had shared a dubious adventure, their mother tending to their well-earned scratches. And their father looking to reprimand the rascals, but with a hint of approval behind those twinkling eyes.

Foolish little brother. What use do you have for this? Hate is the only thing you need. Hate me, use that hate and become stronger, so that one day you will defeat me.

He recognized the voice, but somehow it was just so far away.


	13. Troubled Friends

"Ready?"

Jaune needn't have asked, it was just habit by now. It was clear on by the two boy's fixated stances and reciprocal smirks on their face that they had been waiting for the signal to start since before the sun rose. His raised hand chopped the air in front of him as he retreated swiftly.

"Fight!"

Even before his hand had full escaped the danger zone, the two were on the other, weapons ringing as they contacted one another. Naruto had engaged Sasuke's long sword with his buckler and short sword crossed in front of him. He used the both of them to block Sasuke's dance-like strikes, and redirect the blade so he could counter with his own truncated moves.

Jaune watched the two in their spar, still acutely interested as he had been the first time he had witnessed it so many weeks ago. They had practiced their chosen style with wooden weapons for some time, and that alone had been interesting. But with their recently attained professional tools, they were something else entirely. It was like watching two master dancers of different styles on the stage at the same time. It was chaos, and it was ballet of dramatic consequences.

Jaune himself had initially been more skilled than either of the two boys when it came to the technical of swordplay. He had managed even to keep up at first, despite their clear advantage in speed. However, the two were both quick learners and quickly outpaced him. They would still pander to him and fight on even terms now and then, per their agreement. But it was far more interesting and beneficial to him (not to mention less painful) to watch the two of them go at it. He learned that what really set them apart wasn't just the skill or the speed.

It was the mindset.

Despite their improved relations (even Jaune could tell the two shared some animosity at first) the two were very adamant about attacking the other with attacks that were clearly meant to end the fight should they connect. It was this commitment, above all else, that the older boy lacked.

He had improved. He admitted it to himself, finally, when he had at long last faced his nemesis Cardin in a match in Glynda's class. He had soundly defeated the boy with not but a few well-timed dodges and a few good strikes. The other boy's rage did the rest of the work. Jaune still had a long way to go, but his demeanor had improved greatly when he could see the fruits of his labors.

Still, he didn't think he would ever be able to compete with these two powerhouses.

Naruto blocked one of Sasuke's overhand strikes with his buckler, redirected the blade to his side and struck out with his own sword. Blocked. He punched out with the small shield. Dodged. Sasuke's spun to launch his own strike, Naruto intercepted it low with his own sword. A flick of his wrist brought up to Sasuke's face. The egg-shaped pommel of the longsword got in its way.

Naruto's strikes were necessarily close in, but targeted whatever seemed to be available. He sliced and stabbed indifferently, his brawler taijutsu refined and translated into this amalgamation of sword art and street fight.

Sasuke shot his blade out in a quick succession of stabs which were all deflected by the other boy. He flowed through his movements, taking advantage of his dual-apprentice and melding both Chinese forms and traditional fencing. The longsword compensated for his lesser strength, giving him both a leverage and distance advantage over his opponent. Naruto didn't seem to notice, though, as he kept pace with the concentrated whirlwind of strike being directed at him.

The last thrust from Sasuke came, and instead of redirecting or blocking to the side like he had done with all the others, he instead stepped towards the oncoming blade, punching his shield into the tip of Sasuke's blade. The other boy struggled to retain possession of his weapon, and as a result the tip was sent high into the air as Naruto continued to move forward and thrust at Sasuke with his own blade.

Sasuke brought the hilt down and deflected Naruto's poke, but the turtle-shell shaped shield erupted as a hook and smashed into the side of his head. He stumbled back a few paces while Naruto pressed his advantage. A few more exchanges of blades and Naruto then kicked Sasuke in the leg, bringing the other boy to one knee.

Sasuke gritted his teeth in irritation and pain. He briefly considered using his Sharingan, but resisted the urge. They had both agreed at the start of this, that the fight was a test of their sword skills. Still.

He felt his blood boil and a renewed strength launched him at the charging green brick. Naruto wasn't as taken aback as he had hoped, and managed to block or avoid the first barrage of furious strikes. Sasuke was through holding back now though, and very soon overwhelmed the other boy. Even with his shield, Naruto was hard pressed to defend the sheer volume and frequency of strike being directed at him, and soon began to lose his hard-learned form and started to dodge.

This tactic was not sustainable, and as a cut appeared bisecting one of his characteristic whiskers, he knew it.

An unexpected kick from his rival knocked him back and he tumbled, recovering quickly on his feet. He too was ready to kick things up a notch, and grinned as he formulated a plan.

Sasuke didn't like the grin on his teammate's face, it always portended something bad in his experience. He wasn't going to let Naruto have the chance to do anything. He felt a slight twinge in his eyes as he charged once again.

A faint to the right, under the guard and brought across, trying to cut him down where he stood. Naruto seemed to anticipate this, and stepped into the feint, blocking the actual strike with his shield backed with the sword. The shield flowed with the strike up and over the boy, and Naruto lunged out with a stab aimed at Sasuke's kidneys.

Sasuke flicked his wrist and blocked this attempt and made another attempt with an upward swing. Shield and sword cupped and intercepted his blade, parting once again to let the sword into the opening. Only it wasn't.

The two swords followed each other across as Naruto lashed out with hid shield again as if to strike Sasuke again. Having been struck one with this, Sasuke saw the move coming and moved a half-step back to get out of its reach. The shield stopped, though, right in front of his face. He looked at his own reflection in the polish umber-surface. A foot in his gut knocked the wind out of him and another fist came from his left as Naruto punched him with his now free sword hand.

"Can't hit what you can't see!"

The blond tried to sneak in one more strike, but Sasuke lashed out with a wild swing which was easily blocked by the shield. Naruto gave one last parting kick that nicked the other boys retreating jaw.

Sasuke stumbled back a few steps before he hopped even further to distance himself from the blond boy.

He was fairly steamed now. Even though it was a legitimate part of Naruto's sword style, Sasuke still felt himself annoyed with the efficiency of Naruto's unconventional moves. He began to feel his anger bubble up from his core and flow into his limbs. When it reached his hand, it jumped the small gap between his fingers and the sword.

"Woah! Hey! That's cheating!"

Sasuke blinked at Naruto's accusation, before he glanced at his own hand which tingled slightly, and to his sword.

His now flaming sword.

He had no idea what he had done, but considering the fire didn't seem to be burning his hand, he supposed it was some feature he had yet to discover in his weapon. Leave it to Ruby to take the simplest of weapons and mess with it until it was like a jumbo Swiss-army knife.

"Oh yeah! I'm awesome!"

Speak of the devil…

Ruby blushed heavily as the two boys turned to look at the cause of the loud interjection.

"I mean, you guys are pretty good too…" She amended lamely.

"I got to say Ruby, you are a good little smith, but really? A flaming sword? That's so… dated."

"Like you're one to talk! You have Ember Celica! (And I'm pretty sure you're eyes light on fire when you get angry.)" This last part was barely above a whisper, but the two ninja and one Faunus caught it easily enough.

Seeking to interrupt the argument before it escalated, Naruto greeted the members of team RWBY.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"Hey Naruto, Sasuke, Jaune." This last directed to the boy who hadn't even noticed their approach until now.

They responded in kind, in Sasuke's case an amicable nod as he flicked his wrist in attempt to douse the flames.

"Just cut off your Aura from the blade." Ruby advised the boy.

Sasuke was very confused at this statement, but tried concentrating on the emotions he had used to fuel to blade. After a brief pause, he found the rage he had imbued the blade with, and retracted it into his body. The orange flames flickered from existence. He re-sheathed his sword with a glide and it silently locked as it slid over the ricasso.

"Besides, you see, I didn't make it a flame." She pointed an accusing finger at the raven-hared teen. "He did!"

The assembled crowd blinked incredulously unsure of what to make of this statement.

"I knew that both of them weren't too good with guns, so making the weapons transform wouldn't have really been a good idea. But I couldn't just make them plane and boring, so I found out how to imbue the blades with the proper ratio of Dust so that they could channel someone's Aura. The only I didn't have was a resonator, which I had to get from a vendor in Mistral." That explained the bags she had appeared with in Vale those weeks ago.

"So, what you are saying is, Sasuke's Aura is…fire?"

"Represented by flames, yes."

"Wow! That is cool! Thanks again, Ruby!" Naruto was elated with this newfound information.

Ruby was of course happy herself that her work was being appreciated. "Of course! What are friends for?"

Naruto began poking around with his weapons, prodding and pulling various pieces to see what, if anything would happen. "So what does mine do?" He was impatient to learn what sort of hidden weapon or ability the two pieces would provide him, and he had so far not discovered it by simple usage.

"Can't tell you." Ruby replied with some poorly disguised cheek.

"Can't or won't?"

"How about both?" Naruto stuck his tongue out at the girl as she giggled maniacally to herself.

"Tell you what," Ruby propositioned the consternated boy "I want to see how my awesome work fairs against Crescent Rose. So, you and I have a spar, and if you win, if you still can't figure out how it works, then I'll tell you. But-!" And it was a monumental 'but' "if you lose, you have to follow me around all week wearing a sign that says : 'Ruby is the smartest, most beautiful and talented Huntress in Beacon' AND you have to say that whenever anyone speaks to you."

"Deal!" It was simple, he just wouldn't lose.

Jaune found himself with a sense of Déjà vu as he took up his position as referee once again. Naruto fell into his usual stance with his left leg forward, weight evenly balanced and arms extended with the short sword crossed in front of the buckler, the one reinforcing the other. He had not yet born witness to a structured fight with Ruby, though. She had little form to her stance, poised with both hands on Crescent Rose looking above and behind her.

"Fight!"

Unlike with his fight with his long-time rival, Naruto waited on his side of the field for Ruby to attack. "What's the matter, scared?" Ruby taunted. Naruto simply smirked self-assuredly. Ruby took it as an invitation to let the lady throw the first blow, and so she cordially obliged.

Even without her semblance in affect, she was fast. Perhaps not as fast as Sasuke, and so Naruto was readily able to see her strike coming and deflect Crescent Rose with his buckler. And the next. And the next. It seemed to be that the girl was as stubborn as he himself could be some times. So, instead of waiting for her to change the game, he volunteered.

She had raised the scythe for a downward swing to try and see if she could cleave the tin shield in two. Naruto lunged in with a speed she had not anticipated. She managed to catch the strike affected with the buckler on the shaft of Crescent Rose. She herself almost buckled under the force of the lunge. But Naruto was far from don. Suddenly the oppressive weight was alleviated as Naruto appeared behind her. She thrust the shaft of Crescent Rose in a thrust backwards to no avail.

The blow that would have lopped her head off (had she not had use of her Aura) went sailing over her head as she ducked, Naruto's leg shot out and took her feet out from under her. She found herself laying on her back blinking as a needlepoint formed in the cloudless sky, and suddenly began getting larger.

She rolled to the side to avoid the downward stab, picking up Crescent Rose as she went. She rolled to her feet and was again put on the defensive as Naruto illustrated his stamina to great effect. She was now the one forced to block or dodge the onslaught of strikes from her own works.

She leaned on her semblance, in reverse this time as she wanted to put some serious distance between herself and the homicidal Energizer-Bunny. Well out of his reach, she switched her weapon to its sniper form, letting loose a salvo of rounds at the blond who was now an open a target as could be.

Her aim was true, but she had to curse her own prowess as Naruto blocked each and every one of her shot with the buckler. She was both proud and annoyed with its durability.

Naruto was in bind, though. He had no long range weapons that he could currently use, and he was certainly not as fast as Sasuke or Ruby when she used her semblance. He had to close that distance, but running across the field, even if he could block the shots, wasn't his ideal method for doing so.

It was time to see if Ruby made his weapons as well as she did Sasuke's.

He tried to focus on his Chakra, which he assumed was what Sasuke did, and direct towards his arm and thus his shield. Figuring, that if there were some kind of long range weapon, the shield was the likely choice for it to be installed. It was easy enough to mold his chakra to such a large object, after having mastered the Rasengan, this was a piece of cake. He aimed the 'mouth' of the shield in Ruby's direction, and completed the circuit.

A blast of wind shot out from the sides of the buckler, directed downward around the rim. Not expecting this direction of applied force, and with his arm still locked in the leather support, he was forced to go along for the ride as the shield shot into the air. Himself, an unwilling tagalong.

Righting himself in the air, he managed to find down just as Ruby appeared directly underneath where he was to land, coiled up like slugger for a massive strike.

Not good.

"And you are-"

He had only a little time for prayers and to brace himself for excruciating pain as the blunt end of Ruby's scythe impacted his stomach and he was sent into the horizon.

"I demand a rematch…! " The cry was heard fading into the distance as the blond and green form became a blur, then a speck on the backdrop of the heavens.

"That was….. anticlimactic." Yang summed up the consensus of the crowd. Even Jaune had to admit that the skilled young man had gave less than a stellar performance. Sasuke had silently left some time when all of their focus was on catching the fading form as he became the first of them to get close to reaching a low Earth orbit.

"Well, what now?"

Because it was Ruby who had sent Naruto into the next kingdom, it was decided that it was she who should wait for his eventual return while the rest of them went off to do more interesting things. It was just be mean to send him away and then ditch him.

So, she planted herself on the cooling afternoon grass and watched the clouds roll in.

It wasn't too long later when Naruto had dragged himself back to the open field, looking decidedly annoyed and only a little worse for the wear. Ruby agreed to postpone their rematch until Naruto had picked all of the needles and sticky bits out of his skin (he had apparently landed in a briar patch). So he, plunked himself down on the grass head to head with the patch of red-tipped hair, and proceeded to while away the rest of the afternoon making his far away friend with the same past time proud.

Comfortable silence floated between them as the clouds floated by, buffeted by winds far up in the stratosphere that died to a gentle breeze this close to the ground. Nothing was said for some time, no telling if it were minutes, hours, or even days that passed. For once, Naruto was content to let it go on for as long as it would.

So it was Ruby who eventually decided to break it.

"Do you think you're going to name them?"

The pronoun was not identified, but obvious enough, and Naruto threw his mind to the shield and sword combo that lay well within reach. He gave serious thought to this question that he had till this point not contemplated. A name was an important thing, and he wanted to honor the gift with something that befitted it.

"I think, I'll call them Sadaime and Godaime."

Ruby tilted her head and tried to look up at the blond boy.

"It means, in my home language, 'Third' and 'Fifth'. We called our leaders 'Hokage' which means 'Fire Shadow'. I was close to both the Third and Fifth Hokage. The third was like my grandfather. He was smart, wise, and kind. He wanted to do whatever he could for his village, to protect it and keep it safe. So I think my shield should be called 'Third'."

Naruto reached his hand into the air, as if grasping onto the short sword. "And the sword is the Fifth. She was like my grandmother, although you'd never know it, she was vain and always kept up an illusion that she was 20!" He neglected to mention it was a literal illusion. "She was super strong, and proud. She was like my grandmother. In fact, I don't think I ever called either one of them by their titles. So, to make up for that I'll honor the gifts they, and you have given me."

Ruby was touched by this confession, and felt honored herself by the reverence with which he spoke about the original people to own those titles. That was something that was so endearing about the boy, he spoke with his heart. A thought came to her then, though.

"Naruto? You said they 'were', does that mean…?"

Naruto nodded, though she could not see it. His voice was decidedly laced with a more somber and nostalgic tone. "The Old man died in an…. attack. Granny, well, she's still alive, I think." What pained him most was that he didn't even know. "I hope I'll get a chance to see her again someday." She was probably giving his loss, and she didn't even know he was still here, but far enough away that he might as well be dead.

"I know you'll see her again, Naruto."

This was supposed to comfort him, and he supposed it did, but at the same time, seeing his precious people and his home again meant that he would never again see the friends he now had. It was too cruel a fate to be torn between one and the other, but with no option available, he would push on.

"Thanks Ruby."

Another silence filled the glen, this one decidedly less comfortable as Naruto let his thoughts fester.

"Hey Naruto?" Once again Ruby broke the silence. She sounded a little apprehensive, though.

"Hm?"

"Sasuke…." She wasn't entirely how, or if she even should broach this subject. "Sasuke told me something. He told me that… he tried to kill you once. Twice." She amended with an admonished blush.

Naruto was feeling decidedly less talkative. But he couldn't just leave his friend, if he was to call her that, without an honest answer to her query.

"Where we grew up, it was much, much harder than it is inside these walls." There was no way he could explain the entire truth. Seeing the way the people went about their lives in this world, he had doubts they could comprehend the life he had chosen, the one that was honestly best for his standard of living. How could this world of peace understand one that was constantly under the looming threat of war?

"And Sasuke…" He wasn't sure if it was his place to reveal his comrade's troubled past, decided it wasn't and left it for the stoic boy to tell as his own story. "Both of us had hard lives, Sasuke too, though in a different way." His tone had a clear indication that that was all he was going to say about that history. "But Sasuke is a good person." He clenched his fist on his chest, over the faint mark of a star just under his heart. "I know he is."

Ruby heard his conviction, and with most of his statements, was delivered as fact and made whoever heard it want to believe it as gospel. But she still had her own doubts. "Are you sure?"

Naruto just chuckled. "I bet my life on it."

Soon accepting the absurdity of the statement, not to mention the story, Ruby laughed right along with him.

"Oh Naruto, you are always just so carefree. It's really nice to hear."

Oh Ruby. If only you knew. He had such doubts. Such doubts and fear that it kept him awake at night. But if his front helped others pick themselves up, he would wear it until they dressed him in it at his funeral.

"Ruby?"

The voice was soft, trembling, decidedly not the usual confidence. He couldn't keep it up when it came to this.

"Yeah?"

"If-" he wet his lips, suddenly dry. "What if, Sasuke and I went back home…."

She blinked. "Well I kind of assumed you guys would go back some day."

Damn it. She wasn't making this easier.

"I mean, what if we went back, and we never returned." Sensing Ruby about to offer the obvious alternative he added quickly. "And we never saw each other again?

Would we still be friends, then?"

Ruby turned on her stomach and propped herself up on her elbow to look at the blond without craning her neck. She bopped him lightly on the head with her knuckles. He blinked in surprise.

"Of course, silly. Friends forever. Right?"

It was his turn to assure the girl that he wasn't changing. Wasn't going anywhere, for now.

He too turned over and saw her hand still extended, expectant. He grasped it.

"Of course."

They lay back down on the grass and watched as the setting sun shone its rays in a plethora of crimson, vermillion and pleasure on the bellies of the passing nebulae.

* * *

Sasuke had not gone back to Beacon after his partner made a fool of himself, yet again. He had started down the path, but had stepped into the surrounding woods and hand been meandering around aimlessly for some time now. Stray thoughts floated through his mind, but he had a hard time grasping the gossamer ideas with so many other distractions around. When he was fighting, he could focus. Now that he was idle he had no control.

He touched the spot on his neck where the mark lay under the cotton cord of the jacket. He had not felt its urgings since arriving here. It wasn't gone, just silent.

The voice though, the one that sounded so much like his brother, wasn't. Who was it? Had the snake's soul followed him through whatever door they had taken to get here? From what he knew of its mechanics, it seemed likely, but the voice had sounded so much like his brother, not the sultry venom of the seal offering temptations of power at the price of corruption. But it wasn't his brother, not quite, not entirely.

It was him.

Some part of him remained bound to the Sanin, bound to his home world. Had he not made it entirely through, then? Was part of him still trapped in between the two worlds, stranded in nothingness, or somethingness that was excruciatingly tearing him asunder, molecule by molecule each fraction of a second he lingered there without hope of return?

Or was it more simple. More simply, him. Could he now not cope with the voice's absence that he had to make up his own tormentor? His brother gone, his father gone, Orochimaru out of reach, he had no one left to rule him and yet he felt….

Empty.

His hand slipped out of his pocket sometime during his minds sojourn, rested on the hilt of his sword.

His sword. The one Ruby gave him. The one she made specifically for the both of them.

He drew it, looking to give himself something to concentrate on. He admired the mirrored finish that paradoxically seemed to absorb, rather than reflect the light. An anti-negative space. He focused the same feeling that he had in the fight, as close as he could replicate it, and gently fed it into his weapon.

The sword responded in kind, and a thin coating of flame sheathed the blade in a candle's glow. He closed his eyes and focused on the energy that was feeding the controlled burn. He felt an equal pull on both his Yin and Yang. It seemed that this world's Aura, or what they called it, seemed to be nothing more than a combination of the body and the spirit.

It was comforting, in a way, to know that this place was no more extraordinary, no more remarkable or impossible as their own. It made it easier to imagine leaving.

He felt the sword hum now. He had not felt it do this before, but supposed that it was because he had been in the fight. He remembered Ruby's explanation of the resonators, and fathomed that this was the cause. It began to irritate his hand after a while of holding it in this near stall, and when he deactivated the blade's flame, his hand seemed to be numb.

He frowned, recalling the thrum. It seemed to be trying to resonate, but something was off. Like two tones so close that they created an auditory illusion mimicking the oscillation of sounds, something in his blade, or rather in his use of it was off.

He regarded the blade's finish again, activating his Sharingan and running his gaze from tip to hilt, for both sides. As he happened upon the middle of the back side, he noticed a place where the light was bent irregularly. He squinted. There was no doubt about it, the blade had been deformed after his attempt to channel his Chakra through the blade.

It had emerged from the wrapping pristine, and had suffered under the combat against Naruto he put it through without a scratch or blemish on its surface. But now that he tried to use it with the energy nature bestowed upon him, it rejected that part of him.

It seems that Aura was something different than Chakra, or that there was some sort of component that he was missing.

Red eyes and a growl came from the underbrush. Another pair, another growl.

Ah. This world's other mystery. Grimm. His darker emotions had drawn them near. If he had to guess, he would have thought them akin to the tails of the Bijῡ, beings of pure energy that could only be killed temporarily. So it seemed to be with the Grimm. But there were still so many mysteries to them that even this world's habitants, in their centuries of co-existence, had not answered. Sasuke was tired of guessing wrong, at least for this evening.

He dropped into a dueling stance, body edge on to the approaching Beowulf, sword held horizontal and left arm cocked behind his back. He had some stress to work off still. His thumb brushed the finely inscribed feathers of the raven-wing guard and he sectioned his mind off leaving one last guiding thought on the surface.

'Sorry Ruby, but I'm a defective friend.'

The shattered moon had risen long before he began his trek back.


	14. Dub the Frequencies of Love

"I still cannot believe that you guys don't know what a dance is!"

Yang once again voiced her disbelief much to the two boys' chagrin at continually being the subject of this controversy. They were very quickly beginning to rue their situation and their choice to eschew this problem off on team RWBY.

It just so happened to be the two of them were the first people Goodwitch had run into, after she had been informed that the original team that was slated to plan the event, the previously introduced team CFVY, was stuck on their mission and thus unable to fulfil their duties. Having had absolutely no idea how to go about this procedure, Naruto and Sasuke sought the help of the only other people they knew who might have an inkling as to how to arrange such an event.

Needless to say, the girls were all too happy to oblige.

"Pardon us for not learning this kind of thing in the academy. I guess they just thought it more important to say, I don't know, teach us how not to get killed?" Sasuke voiced his ire, more at the absurdity of the assignment, rather than what Yang might suppose was embarrassment at not knowing how, check that, **what** a formal dance was.

"So they didn't have any social events in your village? Not a one? Geeze, how did they expect you guys not to come out socially stunted?"

Sasuke thought back to all of the senior shinobi he knew, trying to name as many as he could that were marginally functional outside of combat. He gave up rather quickly.

"Whatever, I'm just glad that you guys wanted to do this. I would hate being stuck with the planning. I hate formal events, all the arrogance and people pretending they are better than me just because they know how to insult you with fancy words." Naruto added his two cents. "No way they're going to get me into fancy dress clothes!"

"Awwww, little Whiskers is just scared of girls, I bet." Yang of course was not about to let this chance to tease her surrogate little brother go by undisturbed. She seized the oppertunity with his hands resting behind his head and leaning back in one of the chairs they had annexed for the planning committee, to pinch his cheeks and aforementioned whiskers. "Don't worry little Naru! We girls don't bite, well, I guess I can't speak for others…."

"Knock it off!" Naruto batted Yang's hand away only to become unbalanced and topple over in his tenuously balanced perch and land dead onto the stone hall floor with a resounding thwack. True to his nature, though, he brushed off this faux pas and recollected himself off the ground before he was reminded of the perceived slight to his masculinity.

"I'll have you know Yang, that Naruto Uzumaki is **not** afraid of girls! My sensei was an author of one of the most popular romance novels in our entire country!" He was getting much practice in tactical omissions as of late. He didn't feel too bad about leaving out the seedier aspects of the novels or his master, but just bringing up the self-proclaimed super-pervert brought a twinge of regret. "I bet you that I could get any girl I wanted to go to the dance with me if I wanted to go."

"Oh, ho, ho!" Yang was having fun with her little gibe at the boy. They may have both have been skilled fighter, in all honesty maybe better than team RWBY, but they were still very much emotionally children, and neophytes when it came to the fairer sex. "Well, I hate to break it to you shrimp, but you already lost that bet. Sorry, but you're just not my type. I like them... a little bigger."

This very blatant offense to his pride was the last straw for Naruto who was oscillating between frothing at the mouth and sputtering in embarrassment. It could have been literally disgusting, but it wasn't. However, Naruto was, if nothing else, never one to give up, and this challenge by his fellow blonde awoke the prankster in him who had not gotten enough of a chance to stretch his limbs since the lunchroom incident.

"Are you sure Yang? I'm sure I know **just** your type." He voice was easily recognizable to Sasuke who saw, but didn't wish to see what was coming. It had the age old twinge of the trickster he, as a member of Team Seven for ever more had come to rue with a vengeance.

Naruto formed a single hand-seal, and the rest of the room saw only a large cloud of smoke form where the boy used to be. From this cloud came a dangerously seductive yet cat call that had all those who could hear shivering with a combination of fear and desire.

"Yang, your so m-e-e-e-a-n. Are you saying I'm not **big** enough for you?"

Had he not beens o familiar with the forbidden technique, Sasuke might have had a similar, if not worse reaction to the emerging figure. As it was, he had preemptively obtained a clothespin and was very pointedly looking away from the very un-Naruto figure that the parting smoke revealed.

The others were not so lucky. Even being of the same sex and the figure sharing so many other features to the blond boy to have been coincidence, her voluptuous figure smashing against Yang's arm was almost too much for the shocked girl to handle. She almost felt bad about the early derisive comment she had made, this Naruto-esque girl was **certainly** large enough, her endowment easily being on par with the blonde girl.

Perhaps, she should have been more specific, as it was currently a very attractive, nay criminally gorgeous girl that had condensed form the mist, and was currently pouting and clinging to her arm. Her overloaded mind did indeed register the characteristic bond hair, now distinctly longer and more luxurious, or the infamous whiskers, which on this figure bequeathed her an animalistic charm that was lost on the incorruptibility of the boy version.

Neither Ruby nor Weiss was fairing any better, floundering at the forming of words that could accurately disguise their utter amazement at what had transpired. Ruby had no coherency left, and the only feeling that Weiss embodied other than shock, was indignity at the fact that this blond boy had a more shapely form than she did!

Another cloud of scentless smoke appeared and the second blonde was gone, replaced by a blond boy chuckling madly at his own hysterics. "Oh man! You guys should have seen your faces! I didn't know you were all such perverts!"

"You're the pervert!" Weiss was the first one to recover, her overriding sense of propriety coming to the rescue for the dignity of women everywhere and proceeding to beat the snot out of the still extremely self-satisfied ninja.

Yang shook herself out of her stupor. "Huh, wait, what? What was that?"

Sasuke had surreptitiously removed his dignity-aid and responded for the currently occupied Naruto.

"He calls it his 'Sexy Jutsu'. While I can't say that I condone it, it has proven surprisingly effective in the past."

"Shameful is what it is!" Weiss rejoined the rest of the dignified conspiracy and left the poor boy to lick his wounds, assuming he could move his jaw or tongue in the next few days.

"I don't know, I have to say, it did throw me off guard. Quit being such a prude, Weiss. Or are you just jealous because little Foxy has a bigger chest than you?" And just like that, Weiss became the new target for Yang's provocation, with the previous one temporarily indisposed for the time being.

"I am not! It's just very uncouth a move! I suppose it makes sense though." Even Sasuke had to blink at that one. He had never seen anyone of the female variety recover so readily after having viewed the technique that many back in his home town had considered a forbidden move, and a more conservative cabal of women had made it a point to eradicate.

"I mean, look at him!" They glanced at the form that was barely recognizable as a human being, much less a highly trained warrior. "You're always calling either 'Whiskers' or 'Foxy' Yang."

"Yeah, so?"

Weiss huffed at her teammate's lack of deductive reasoning. "I mean, what are foxes in stories always known for? Being tricksters! First, he can clone himself, and now it turns out he can transform into a beautiful woman."

"She called me beautiful…" The delirious voice was just under a whisper to the self-contained conversation.

"Huh, never thought of it that way." "Obviously!"

By this time, Sasuke was actually getting to be quite nervous. They had not yet extrapolated on the possibility that Naruto could transform into **anything** he might see fit to. Not to mention the fact that it was a basic skill for all of their kind. Although, Naruto did seem to manage somehow to create a more 'solid' form than the typical illusion theoretically accounted for.

Regardless, they could not allow the others to put the dots together, or else they would lose a major advantage they had for their more underhanded line of work. And for the sake of his partner, he would try his very best to make sure Blake never figured out that it was Naruto in the café that day, and not Sun. Sasuke was still on the fence about calling this group 'friend', but he wouldn't jeopardize that for Naruto.

Come to think of it, they had hardly seen a flickering shadow of Blake since she had rejected Sun's invitation to the very same dance they were now orchestrating, and that had been a good 24 hours ago. Now he looked at the third youngest member of their union. Ruby seemed to be very much distracted lately as well. More than likely in regards to the health and safety of her friend.

"Awwwww. Poor Foxy. I'm sorry Weiss beat you up, here, how about a little kiss to make it better."

Yang scraped the remains of Naruto off the ground and tenderly kissed the general form of what was once his head, or at least the location that seemed to retain the most about of blond hair. "I was just teasing earlier. I'm sure any girl would love to have you ask them to the dance. Hey! I have an idea: why don't you ask Ruby to the dance?"

As Naruto reached some maximum universal capacity, his embarrassment briefly overrode the excruciating pain and he was transformed from a rotting corpse to something far less close to a sentient being. A blushing and hormonal teenage boy. He struggled to say nothing while producing some combination of random murmurs and false starts while he silently prayed that nothing he would say, or didn't say would earn him his friend's animosity.

He needn't have worried, though, because Ruby was not even paying attention to the antics of her sister and best friend. She had tuned out some time after the female Naruto had disappeared and Weiss began seeking vengeance on the culpable one.

"Yo, Ruby. Earth to Ruby!"

"Huh?" Came her eloquent reply.

"What's up Ruby, you've been really distracted lately. Is something wrong."

Unlike her teammate, she could not keep these kinds of emotions bottled up. "I'm alright, I'm just worried about Blake. She's been really distant lately, and I don't think she's been sleeping. I just don't know what's wrong."

The others silently agreed with the girl's concerns. They had all noticed something amiss, but had sought to respect the other woman's privacy. But at this point, it seemed to be affecting not only their own team dynamic, but spreading to their other friends as well.

"Don't worry Ruby, we'll figure out what's wrong. We'll cheer Blake up and I'll make sure to get her to go to the dance."

"Yeah, we'll think of something, I promise. And Uzumaki Naruto never goes back on his promises!"

"What are you going to do, Naruto? Just ask her to the dance and work that 'awesome technique' of yours?"

And with one more good natured barb, the two descended into another round of one-upmanship poorly veiled innuendoes and downright lazy insults. The scene briefly consoled the young girl who was in truth very content at seeing this quaint scene of domestication and solidarity. Weiss too, felt oddly at ease with their usual pace reestablished and the two energetic teammates trying to instill some sense of normalcy.

The did not even notice when Sasuke quietly slipped off to undertake his first ever voluntary search for a cat.

* * *

It was, for once, too quiet in the library, as Blake found herself continually threatening to drift off to a much-needed slumber. The words on the screen in front of her starting to blur together, and even the fait harmonic oscillation of the light projection instilling the seeds of a migraine. She had not discovered anything of import in the last 12 hours of searching, something that both dissuaded her from her pursuit, but also paradoxically filled her with renewed vigor as she struggled to find some little scrap of information that might put her team ahead of their enemies.

So there she sat, fueled only by insurmountable determination (excess caffeine made her jittery and unable to concentrate), drifting somewhere between her subconscious struggling to gain control and make sense of all the data it was accumulating to process, but unable to do so because the fatigued ego was still struggling for control.

Her lids drooped several times, each successive becoming harder and harder to recover from. The green glow on her screen faded before her weary eyes into crimson. She felt incredibly hot, it was suddenly stifling in here, and her collar was restricting her breathing. She wheezed as she realized her lungs were filling up with smoke from the flames that were now consuming the knowledge and wisdom meticulously catalogued on the shelves.

A specter gliding down the hallway was the culprit, his sword, his tail gracing each shelf and setting it ablaze. It was a familiar face, a stranger so close to her. She recognized the bone-white mask they wore, and shuddered at the foreign malice behind those ruby red eyes, so unlike anything she had ever felt before. It wasn't the lack of oxygen making her choke, it was this undiluted carpet-bombing of hateful emotion.

She had never known Adam to have contained such ferocious anger, it was him, and yet it was so much more. A specter once more who only took Adam's shape because that was all she herself knew of the danger lurking in the darkness. This wasn't him, he wasn't who she was scared of, and yet, the danger was so close.

The red light shut off with a click.

She looked up to see a pale hand on the power button of the screen that had been busy lulling her off into her nightmare. She traced the unblemished arm sleeved in the school's uniform to the expressionless face of the lone Uchiha at the academy.

She shot him a withering look, which he was easily able to brush off. He had had many more women (and felines, for that matter) much angrier with him than this. Blake's weary admonishment only served to reinforce his previous conviction.

"What do you want Sasuke?"

He said nothing in response, beckoning her to follow with an unconcerned jerk of his head. He lazily made his way from her desk to one of the private study rooms inserted into the library's fringes, not looking back to see if she was following.

Deciding to indulge the boy's uncharacteristic behavior, if only out of curiosity, Blake unhurriedly followed his retreating fringe of raven-colored hair. He had never made it a habit to speak to her unbidden before, and so this could be characterized as unusual as far as their interactions were concerned. They generally got along, though, both leaning more on the stoic and untalkative spectrum amongst their friends. This of course, meant that neither chatted with the other, but for some reason she felt slightly more comfortable around him than his partner.

It was a little counterintuitive, and Blake herself didn't understand this phenomenon. She was amicable enough with Yang and Ruby, both competitors for the spot of most talkative and rowdy amongst their peers. Sasuke was very much like herself, or rather appeared to be. She could not, however, comprehend, or rather believe the conviction with which the blond boy seemed to hold his integrity and high spirits. It just wasn't natural.

Deciding it wouldn't hurt to find out what boy wanted, Blake followed, with a little trepidation, into the small, and mostly sound-proof room whence she shut the door without him having to ask. Sasuke himself was seated on the far end of the desk propped up against the wall, a small reading light providing the scant illumination in the room. But it was enough for the Faunus who leaned against the transept of the door.

"Well?"

He made no move to respond immediately. This was his conference, his confidence, and so he would take things at his pace. He was gauging her, measuring how much her fatigue was effecting her patience. Testing her limits, he spoke at last.

"Your friends are worried about you."

No shit. But she was more concerned about their safety, so it didn't really matter much.

"And you? Don't tell me you're suddenly becoming a fountain of compassion. Be still my bleeding heart…" She hadn't meant it to come out that sarcastic, but he was trying her tolerance which the exertion of staying awake was eroding away with each passing minute.

"No, just curious."

This both intrigued and irked her. "Curious about what?" Taking the bait.

"While it is not that good of a test, I am still interested to know. Simply, I just wonder what kind of a person you are. I thought I had a pretty good idea, until now. But this side of you, the one that is consumed by a desire for revenge… intrigues me. I just want to know if you and I are really as similar as I think we are."

"You don't know a thing about me. I am not interested in something as paltry as revenge."

"Oh? So what do you call this vendetta against the White Fang?"

She was not as surprised as perhaps she should have been that he knew of her connection. Both he, and she assumed by association, Naruto, seemed to be on top of everything.

"It's not a vendetta. The White Fang are becoming more dangerous, and I am afraid that my **prior** association with them makes me a target. I want to protect my friends, and if I have to push them away to do that, so be it."

To her frustration, he just seemed to nod, either in agreement with her, or his own previously constructed theories.

"That's what I told myself too, at first. It is just as I thought. You will keep denying it until the desire consumes you. Even with someone pointing out the futility of it, you deny it. You tell yourself it is for your friends, for the greater good. But that's a lie you use to placate your avarice nature. You and I are indeed the same."

"Bullshit." Her tone was icy. She was done indulging the condescending kid who had leapt over the boundaries of propriety so he could relish the grass in between his toes. "You don't know anything about me or the world. How could you? You don't know anything about pain, sacrifice-"

"Betrayal?"

She stopped her rant, her preempted words appearing in the mouth of the child he had been committed to scolding.

"Love, perhaps?" He ventured.

Her diatribe was immediately set on pause. Her mind, rattled by days of deprivation and now the sudden influx of temper just shut off at having the other member of the conversation pick up precisely where she left off. It was her talking, just in a boy's voice.

"We told you, both of us, a while ago, that where we came from was a lot harder than it is here. Where we come from we are expected from the day we graduate the academy to be able to follow orders without hesitation, to take a life without hesitation. And I am not talking about Grimm."

She found herself believing the boy who had suddenly aged many years, the dim light casting shadows of weariness and experience on his brow and hallows of his face. She felt fear. Fear of him. Was he telling her this to threaten her? Why?

"We are expected then, to act, and be adults in the eyes of the village. Is it normal? Perhaps not, but it is our way of life. I can't say it has always turned out for the best, either. When you disregard a single human life, it becomes easy to take another, and then another."

She felt her distress building with each falling body, yet she was paralyzed with morbid fascination at where this conversation was headed.

"My brother…" Thorns of emotion spread across his face at the mention, a contorting of having tasted a most bitter of fruit and looking for the deepest hole possible to spit the unchewed pulp. "One day, when I was only six years old, my brother killed my entire family, my entire clan, by himself in one night.

"You say I don't know what it is like? He left me alive, just me, my sole reason to exist is to hate him, to bring justice for what he has done. Oh, I know these feelings, all too well. What starts out as a desire for justice, though, becomes warped. You may not know it now, and for all I know you could be stronger than me, but I can see it in your eyes, the same as mine on that night. The desire overrules all else, sleep, food, and most certainly friends."

Blake did not know if she would truly be able to process this information in one night, this revelation about the boy was sure to haunt her, but for now she listed in a kind of trance, unable to tear herself away. A more primal part of her, whether Faunus or Human she wasn't sure, was urging her to heed his words.

"So, I sought to grow stronger, day and night for weeks and weeks I trained with only that thought in my mind. I crashed, too, but that was just the start of it. My hatred and desire began to define me, all the while I told myself it was for the greater good.

"Somewhere along the line, that bottom line ceased to matter, and the desire for power overruled everything else. The lust for strength lead me to seek out a traitor to our village, someone who was known for seeking knowledge no matter the cost, a depraved mind if ever there was one. So I abandoned our village to find him."

He had been staring not at her, during his monolog, but at some point far past the walls of the room, past Beacon and perhaps even Remnant itself. Now he looked at his hand, his fist closed, knuckles even more pale in the scant light provided by the yellowish glow of the faux-incandescent lamp.

"That stubborn idiot…" She needed no elaboration to figure out who he was talking about. "He chased after me, trying to bring me back. We fought and I tried my hardest to kill him, then."

The tale was now bordering on the edge of credulity. Blake was less shocked at Sasuke's professed actions, than at the other boy, who if this tale was true had seen life and death battles and yet continued around unfazed, showing no mental or even physical scars. She had a hard time believing anyone was that resilient, but what other choice was there? The young man in front of her seemed to be dead honest in his recall, and so her other choice would be what? The perpetually upbeat blond was faking happiness this entire time? In field of improbable, however, anything then could be possible.

Seeing that the boy had apparently no more desire to say anything else on the matter, and desiring a conclusion to this conversation, Blake probed a little.

"So? What happened? I mean, you are both here, now. It must have all worked out in the end."

A bark of laughter fell dead on the sound-absorbing walls. It was a hollow sound that echoed in her own empty chest. Sasuke shook his head and hopped the short distance off of the desk, his tale finished and making to leave.

He looked at her now, though. Amber met onyx, and any doubts she had about the veracity of what had just transpired fled her along with the last vestiges of weariness.

"I don't know what you think of me, Blake, and frankly I don't care. But understand, I am not a good person."

He shrugged, breaking the entanglement that had formed over time and space. But the heaviness of the air still lingered like wet charcoal. "Of course, I'm not always right, either. That much is evident. So, Ms. Belladonna, prove me wrong. Show me that you are a better person than I am, that you are worthy enough to have those friends you pretend to cherish."

He reached for the door handle and opened the windowless room to the slightly less stale yet still musty air of the library. The scent of paper and sweat invaded the room and Blake found herself starved for air. He passed close by her, close enough that she could feel the displaced atmosphere around him, distinctly cold. If he had wanted, then, he could have simply reached out and broken her neck. She would not have been able to do anything in time to stop him.

But he made no such move towards her, ignoring the fact that she had even been in the room and excusing himself from what might as well have been a short, private study session. She found someone speaking in her words as he disappeared.

"Naruto. Isn't he your friend? do you trust him?"

The shadow cast on the far wall replied without hesitation to the person that was not her.

"With my life."

* * *

*Sniff*

Naruto was meandering throughout the halls in the vague direction of his dorm, but without any set schedule in place. He had been resting his hands in pockets, a strangely reserved gesture he would normally attribute to his teammate, when he had a sudden and uncontrollable urge to sneeze.

He wondered if people in other universes could make you sneeze by talking about you. He doubted it, but it might have been nice to know that someone was still thinking about him from his home.

He had been doing an admirable job of blocking his thoughts off from that avenue. In fact, it was a little disconcerting that he had not felt nearly as much nostalgia for those familiar faces as he thought he might. The past hour when he had recalled his old sensei was the first that he had thought of the pervert in nearly a month. Not that he wanted to dwell on his temporarily unalterable situation and all of the worst-case scenarios that might be playing out without his intervention.

It was better overall for his mental health if he relegated these thoughts to a secure corridor of his mind, but it was a little shocking how well he seemed to be coping with it. Now though, giving the matter active thought, he felt a resurgence of the old guilt and desperation that had encompassed his every waking moment when the two of them first arrived.

This was why he politely excused himself from the remainder of team RWBY when they too departed the main hall to search for the teammate they were so concerned about. They had not noticed until then that Naruto's partner had disappeared as well. Naruto was not as worried, however. He figured that Sasuke was probably doing the same as he was now, just walking, and thinking.

It was not untrue that he did not prefer to contemplate things to thoroughly, but when he had to he could in fact give a subject due thought. But focusing on this subject to him appeared futile, at least for the moment, and only served to depress and irritate him. In truth, he was getting a little impatient for some word on the progress Ozpin was supposedly making to send them back home, but knew that dwelling on it and pestering the man would not make the results arrive any faster.

So at first, they had both delved into their training, hoping not to stagnate upon their eventual return. Now, that nearly endless training had been supplemented in cases with socially interreacting with their fellow 'classmates'. It was still difficult to think of them all as such for when he had graduated the academy, he never envisioned himself returning to a scholastic setting. He had no better collective pronoun yet, though. Part of him wanted so desperately to call them friends, he could not in fact deny that the youngest of their party had wormed her way into his heart. And it was growing increasing hard to deny that when he was carrying out the missions on behalf of the headmaster, he was not simply doing so to fulfill his part of the bargain, but out of his own sense of duty to these people.

He had grown attached, there was no denying it. And it might be true that this new world was one which he could start afresh without the prejudices thrust upon him back in his home town. Still, he knew that he couldn't break the ties that he forged to his own people, he was not so callous. But if it should come to it, which should he choose?

It was hardly fair to judge the individuals in question and rate them against their counterparts, but what other way would be considered fair? If he was honest to himself, he was scared to that. Not because it degraded the worth of friendship and weighted human life based on quality of experience, but because he now realized that his home, the people from Konoha might lose.

Now given the chance, he did miss both of his sensei, his granny, Iruka, the Ichirakus, and of course his teammate to whom he promised to return with his friend and rival in tow. But being away for so long was actively changing his outlook and perspective of those relationships.

The truth of the matter is, that there would be very few people whom he would truly miss. If he could be brought to trust the man's honesty, Ozpin had shown the two of them more genuine affection than either of his world's silver haired teachers. Glynda should have made him long for the brief relationship he forged with Tsunade, but she was her own person and though sharing many of the same qualities, was no more nor no less important to him now. He had yet to find someone to take the place of the selfless ramen chefs, and Juane and Sun were hardly the older-brother surrogate that Iruka had been, but again, it was a case of apples and oranges.

And then there was Sakura…

It had surprised and even worried him the moment he realized that she was not among the chief peoples he wanted to return to. He could not forget his promise, but that existed as a separate entity in his reckoning, and did not actually factor into his desire to return to his pink-haired teammate. He had thought her beautiful, once. And perhaps he would continue to imagine her idolized beauty in his mind whenever he recalled her. But now he was surrounded day and night by girls, women who were in all likelihood leagues ahead of the girl. And furthermore, they did not treat him like dirt.

Well, Yang sometimes did, but it was clearly all in good humor. In fact, he wondered if this was what it felt like to have an older sibling. If it was, he was regretting missing out all these years. He envied Ruby.

Ruby. The girl reminded him so much of himself, but at the same time she was so much more. What more, he could not name, but it existed in her mannerisms, her ticks and her interests, her interactions with those around her, and the way she spoke of the ones not there. He could perhaps think of her in regards of a female version of himself who had grown up in a loving family, but that would be diminishing her uniqueness. It was hard to compare her to anything, because she just seemed to be so much better than any example he could conjure up. She occupied a space in his inner circle, one which he could not yet discern.

She was, perhaps, his first true friend.

That thought brought a resurgence of guilt as he thought of his partner in this journey. Sasuke had behaved so strangely and maliciously before they had arrived. He had convinced himself that it was the curse seal affecting him, but was that the extent of it? He seemed a great deal returned to his former self, after coming to Beacon, but the question was how long would it last?

Did Sasuke have these thoughts as well? Did he desire to return to their world as much as he did? And what would he be like if he were to be back where Orochimaru could reach him? As it was, if they were forced to remain, Orochimaru could never pose a problem, Sasuke would be forced to abandon his pursuit for his brother, and as far as he could tell everything should return to normal.

But what of him? He had his own specters, the Akatsuki, those black-robed criminals who were seeking to deprive him of the tailed beast sealed in his stomach. They could not reach him here, either. And as far as he could tell, that was a good thing. If they could not obtain the Kyuubi, whatever they were planning would never come to fruition.

The train of thought put on an emergency break and came screeching to a halt in a cloud of steam and sparks. What if it was better, for all of the ones he loved back in Konoha, if he never returned? He had not contemplated this counterintuitive thought before, but it made a disturbing amount of logic.

His hands clenched like a vice, short-trimmed nails doing their best to dig their way into his palm. It would be just his luck, if his exile would be the thing that saved the world. How much must he be forced to suffer? But…

But what about this world? Was his presence here jeopardizing them as well? What was his purpose here, if indeed he had one? He was blind to the future. Blind as Ozpin professed to be, and yet he was the one whose orders he was following in an effort to correct some kind of injustice this world witlessly suffered from. He felt helpless, ignorant, and dare he say it, hopeless for the first time.

"Dobe."

The sudden needle prick made him leap form this downward spiral as he regarded his formerly wayward teammate. He was about to accost the avenger for his unwanted intrusion when Sasuke interjected yet again.

"You should get that look off of your face. It doesn't suit you to brood, you'll never be as good at it as I am." Sasuke moved passed Naruto and clapped a light hand on his shoulder. "Come on, I'm getting hungry, so I bet that second stomach where your brain ought to be must be starving."

Naruto stood and watched Sasuke pace down the hallway the direction Naruto had just come. Old, new, twisted, bent, or more on the straight and narrow than he had ever been, Naruto didn't know exactly what to think of this Sasuke. He was, Naruto decided, who he decided to be in the here and now. And so following his teammate to the admittedly delightfully sounding meal, he decided that was what he, Naruto would do as well. Past, present, future, he was who he was in the here and now, and he could be true to that as much as he could anything else.

One day at a time…

* * *

"One day, one day very soon…"

"And that would be when, exactly?"

Cinder Fall glared her most acrid look at Torchwick who quickly suppressed all future attempts at snarky retorts. He did not want to antagonize the woman who could make not only him, but any trace of his existence disappear with a snap of her fingers. He was, however, increasingly nervous with the lack of instruction regarding the operation, his place in it and thus the ultimate outcome for his criminal self.

"You will do what we tell you, and you just might live to see the end of this."

With that clearly being the end of the discussion, he excused himself from the room with his tail in between his legs.

"He's getting nervous," Mercury Black piped up from the red velour couch he was currently reclining on, feet propped up on a particle-board coffee table, this world's equivalent of Ikea knock-off. "To be fair, I think we all are."

"Speak for yourself." Emerald shot back from her own resting place propped up on the earthen walls of their cavernous hidaway.

She would deny her own hesitance in front of their leader, but she too was at a loss as to the what the latest intrusion could portend. The two cloaked and masked fighters had turned up inexplicably at the rally. And so far, they had managed to dig up no trace, no inkling as to who these two were, or who they were working for.

When they had returned to the remains of the warehouse, they had found the place was clean, apart from the obvious and excessive damage the prolonged confrontation had precipitated. What did this mean for them? Their plans? Was this an isolated incident, someone fulfilling a grudge on the White Fang, or would the two unknowns become a consistently reliable thorn in their side?

Cinder either didn't hear them, or was pointedly ignoring them as she sat behind her seamless glass desk and twin holographically projected screens, orchestrating whatever it was she sought to stick her fingers in that particular instant.

She was in fact, not actively conducting any sort of machinations, though her mind was certainly producing a prodigious amount of ideas. She was in fact watching the security recording from the night of the rally, and on the other screen was footage she had pirated from the first day of Beacon's current semester, one of the many aerial cameras Ozpin had installed to keep a track of the initiates.

She watched the two young hunters as they took on the ancient Deathstalker, making quick work of the hulking arachnid in a well-coordinated attack that utilized some form of semblance that she could not yet identify. The killing blow came from the dark haired one, a very distinguishable move that in the silence of the video looked simply like a blue laser pointer being shined form some other source behind her. But comparing it to a camera angle on the warehouse security footage, sound or no it was a clear match for the technique that took down the White Fang lieutenant.

It appeared Ozpin was perhaps not as naïve as he claimed to be. He had his own assassins, his own darkness. People who killed, though, it was all too easy to make them kill another, one just had to find their price. And if she couldn't turn them, she would just expose them, one more nail in the coffin she was whittling for the man. This darkness, it would be all too easy to use it against him.

She continued watching the feed, and saw the other cloaked figure with his own energy-fueled orb. This one rather than cut, ground away the dust-infused metal of the hardened battle armor. This power, each one was a threat. The two of them together were devastating.

Looking back to the blond-haired boy in the other window, she contemplated the possibilities. He appeared, on the surface at least, to be a person of moral fortitude. But the one shrouded in the fox mask clearly had no qualms about killing. This dichotomy would be the key. She would have them on her side, that much she was sure of.

And if she couldn't get the both, it would be so much fun to pit the one against the other. Pulling up a third video feed, this one considerably less acute, and consistently jerking all over the place, as if taken by a scared amateur, which indeed was probably the case. It was too blurry to truly make out any definite identifications, but she saw the two bright lights collide in a churning maelstrom of chaos and darkness, one of these distinctly red-hue, but the gross pixels swirled some low-res tornado of light unmistakable to anyone knowing what to look for.

Yes, it shouldn't be too hard to find some remedy.

* * *

"Man am I tired! Even I can't tell these two colors apart, now." Weiss held up the two sample table linens she had been waffling between, indistinguishably off-white to anyone else she deigned ask, now seemed to be a futile effort to her sense of propriety. What was more disconcerting however, was that before she blinked, she could swear she held four of them.

"And after all this we still didn't manage to find Blake! I swear, that girl can be like a cat when she wants to be, ornery little-"

"Shhhhh!"

They had just arrived under the lintel of their door. Ruby had gone first to open the door for Weiss and Yang who both still had their hands full with supplies for the party preparation. Thus, she saw, what they did not, being outside of the darkened room.

There was their long-lost teammate, ensconced underneath her duvet so thoroughly that it was difficult to recognize the lump at first as humanoid. But there she was, finally sleeping to their pleasure, and even lightly snoring, most likely due to her having been awake for the past few nights.

The other two girls looked over Ruby's shoulder and stared disbelievingly at the scene. They resisted the urge to throw their own well-earned hissy-fit at the irony of it all. Instead, they let their teammate sleep off whatever it was that had her so uptight the last few days. Yang made a little note, however, to extract her revenge at a later date.

So the other two girls crept in behind their leader and as quietly as they could set their stuff down where one would be unlikely to trip over it in the middle of the night. Then, quiet as could be, the scuttled off together into the bathroom so that they could shut the door and brush their teeth so as to let the sleeping cat lie. All this effort at stifling the noise made the three of them even more tired, so that by the time they had all crept back into their own beds, they had no other desire other than long awaited rest themselves.

As Ruby lay on her side and closed her eyes for the final time that night, she whispered a tiny goodnight to the mass of cloth and feathers.

She wouldn't hear it, but the cordial desire was reciprocated.

Blake lay in her bed, feigning sleep, although it was not hard to do so. For the past several hours she had been asleep, a deep and dreamless sleep that would no doubt reclaim her in a few moments. But she had awoken when her teammates had returned, no amount of their stealthy efforts could hide them from her hearing, but she appreciated the effort. She also just wanted to hear them, to acknowledge that small part of her that was truly scared of being alone. To hear their voices, their steps, their breathing, even Weiss's cute little snore.

She still wanted to deny that her obsession had anything to do with a sense of revenge, but that denial in itself scared her because it was exactly what Sasuke had intimated had happened to him. He had recognized things in her that she herself had overlooked, though she couldn't entirely trust him not to have incepted these doubts. She was more confident, however, that the boy was really telling the truth. She had to concede, that so far both of them had not butted into any of their business unasked. This was the first time in fact, the dark haired one had initiated any sort of extended conversation.

But what was he playing at, saying that he wasn't a good person? From what she could see, the both of them strove to do nothing but what was right. In this realization, she felt her own guilt at doubting the blond boy, who time and again proved his integrity. So for now, she would continue to give them the benefit of the doubt, and heed the boy's cryptic warning.

It was not so hard, either having her friends to lean on once again. She just hoped that she would not come to regret this decision. Either of them.


	15. Malandrino

"Ack!"

Jaune rubbed his now throbbing neck, eternally grateful for his Aura and therefore that his head was not currently detached and sitting next to him on the grass staring dumbly at his golem of a body and the one who delivered the potentially lethal blow. His raven-haired opponent accosted him with a look of marked annoyance rather than any sort of concern for his well-being.

Indeed Sasuke was a little bit perturbed. Jaune had been acting distracted all throughout the morning's practice and had been allowing strikes to penetrate his defense that even for the less-skilled boy, should have been easily defensibly. Sasuke had finally frown tired of catering to his newfound ineptitude and had decided to remind him of the severe consequences of inattentiveness in battle.

He had not worked with Jaune for several days, allowing Naruto to assume the other blond's instruction. However, it was his partner's turn today to work on his techniques that they both wished to remain covert from their classmates. Naruto was far off somewhere in the woods, presumably practicing ninjutsu or rather more advanced Chakra shape manipulation, since they had no available resources for which to draw upon in regards to formal techniques. They had been, therefore, dabbling with nature Chakra and adding it to their established repertoire, to little effect thus far, though that had not stemmed either of their resolves.

So now Sasuke was wondering whether or not this distracted Jaune was a recent development, or had been building for some time. He was not about to express any sort of outright concern for the young man, though. If Jaune wanted to talk about his personal problems, he would just go and find Naruto so that the two could commiserate. However, he was admittedly irritated at having his time wasted in such a manner. Though it was mostly for Jaune's benefit, the instruction that they provided him actually assisted in their own learning. As well, if the other boy was not in a state to learn anything today, it was pointless to continue.

Sasuke glanced at the sun just now peaking over the tree-tops, warming the clearing and catching his eye on the glint made by the most recent blemish on his weapon, which had become a sour blight on his mind as of late. It also signaled that they were approaching the time they would normally call an end to their extracurricular practice and make back for the school so that they could be ready in time for classes.

Soundlessly hiding the sword's deformation in its scabbard, Sasuke made his way back to the path, stopping briefly to help the older boy off of his rump and to his feet. Jaune was still rubbing his neck as he too sheathed his sword and made to follow his young partner.

They treaded in silence for a while, Jaune still rubbing the spot that, Aura or no, he was sure would produce a nasty bruise by morning's end. He had figured a scolding was due him, and he was tacitly bracing himself for the tongue-lashing he would most likely receive from the stoic boy.

"Well?"

Well, that was not what he was expecting, and threw him off guard as much as would an expression of mirth from the normally impatient Sasuke. In his estimation, that was about the closest thing to concern he had seen the boy emote to anyone besides his blond partner, and with the other boy it was most often manifested in display of annoyance.

He quickly recovered from his muteness, lest he further antagonize the youth.

"Well…. It's just…."

A low growl expedited the explanation.

Jaune sighed as he attempted to coordinate his thoughts in some effort to convey his current predicament to the other lad.

"Well, tonight is the dance, and I still haven't figured out how to ask Weiss out yet."

Sasuke uttered a sigh that was now a familiar part of his non-verbal stock answers to situations others might have deemed 'troublesome'. It seemed he was doomed to be the eternal companion of an ignorant blond one way or another, and serve as sounding board for their ignorance. Having had prior experience with this though, he decided a direct approach was perhaps the most appropriate.

"Don't."

"What?"

Sasuke stopped ahead of Jaune and turned his heel on the smoothly-worn stones of the promenade leading to the school's entrance to stare pointedly at the confused youth.

"I said, don't. As in: don't bother asking her out."

Jaune was about to protest vehemently but the master of glares sent one of his more well-practiced flavors which silenced any contestation he was about to utter. It was uncanny how the boy managed to invoke such an air of absolute command, but had proven the ability time and again.

"I am only going to say this once. She doesn't like you. She thinks you are annoying. Quit pining after her and ask someone else."

"But-but- "

"I have to deal with one idiot on a daily basis, I am not going to deal with two. So either you wise up and follow my advice, or our bargain is terminated. Personally, either way works for me. But in my opinion, your best option is to just give up on the Ice-Queen and ask someone else. Go and ask your teammate, Pyrrha, I'm sure she would be flattered."

And with his bit said, he about-faced and promptly continued on to the main entrance as if nothing had transpired, leaving a flabbergasted Jaune floundering for a retort. He automatically hurried after Sasuke, though, some Pavlovian response inciting him to follow the boy's command. As the two tread through the halls on the way to the dorms so that they might clean the morning grime off their bodies and change into the school's daily uniform, Jaune took the time to mull over the Sasuke's words.

He admitted that it made sense, and part of him had always known it to be a prudent course of action to abandon his attempts to woo the Schnee heiress. It was only when it was vocalized by another, though, that the reality seemed to truly sink in. It was difficult, no doubt, to override one's passion. An irrational desire does not respond well to a rational argument, but Sasuke's ultimatum presented an added dimension to the conundrum that ironically made it easier to accept.

Still, this line of conversation brought another thought that had been dwelling in the peripheries to the forefront of his mind.

"So…. Are you, I mean, are you going to ask anyone?"

Sasuke once again stopped dead to regard the boy with a look that made Jaune wonder if the throbbing pain in his neck was not another head sprouting out like deformed palm tree. He personally didn't see what was so out of place about the inquiry.

"I mean, I kind of expected that you would. Just about everyone in the school is going. I can understand if you think it might be a bit awkward, given that everyone else is so much older than the two of you…"

Jaune trailed off as a more familiar look of contempt arranged itself on the boy's visage and derisive scoff cut off the receding sentence.

"Age. It's always about age with you people, isn't it? Where we come from, we are taught to be warriors from when we are six. It is expected that many of us will die before we reach old age. It is also expected that there will be people who are younger and more skilled than you, no matter how good you are. The only thing age means is that you are either good enough, or lucky enough to have survived. Three, four years' difference? That's nothing. Both Naruto and I have competed with, and defeated opponents twice our age."

Jaune just stared wide-eyed at the boy's response. "That's… harsh. But, don't you think it's a little different, I mean, dating and such?"

"Why should it be? It may be different here, but we were both taught not to waste life. Not that such relationships were necessarily encouraged, but it's important to have strong bonds however they form, and they were not uncommon. I personally don't care, I just haven't found it necessary. Besides, what makes you think that I am even planning on attending anyway? It's just a waste of time in my opinion."

"You damn well better be going, Uchiha. Yang and I worked too hard for you to just blow it off!"

The two boys wandering back to the dorms had stumbled into an already awake and prepared team RWBY, who had been careful to allow for extra time to get to classes ever since the first day Glynda had chewed them out. Weiss was trying as best she could to level a formidable glare to Sasuke, and in all fairness, she was doing a rather bang up job. He swore he might even detect a little killing intent.

He was a ninja, however, and being resourceful he decided to use this opportunity to cement his lecture.

"You're right, Jaune, she is a little bit heavy handed for you, unless of course you're into that sort of thing…"

"What!?"

"Huh?"

With that little deception, Weiss's ire was redirected to the very unwitting Jaune who was looking ready to tear up at the verbal tongue lashing he was receiving from his crush. Even Sasuke had to admit that it was a little cruel to sick the Schnee on the poor boy who had wanted nothing more than to get in her good graces, but it should help to dissuade him from any further attempts which would result in a prolonged heartbreak. Of course, if Naruto's track record corresponded to his fellow blond, that wasn't all that likely either.

Ruby and Yang were busy restraining the frothing Weiss from tearing the cowering boy into shreds as she vehemently denied her violent tendencies. Watching from a safe distance, the fourth member of the team slid in next to the Uchiha who was busy surveying the damage he had just precipitated.

"If ', not mistaken, I would say you're making it a habit to work out people's personal problems."

"You are mistaken."

"Maybe you are right. Perhaps you just like messing with people." Blake shifted her weight subtly to her other foot and continued to regard the emerging scene without really paying attention to it. Sasuke too was talking through the fringes, taking the time to notice that Blake seemed to be in better sorts and perhaps like she had finally gotten a decent night's sleep.

"In any case, I feel I owe you a thank you. I still don't think that you know me as well as you think you do, but you are right that the person I am, the one I want to be, needs her friends." Said friends were now trying to raise the shell-shocked Jaune to his feet and persuading the incensed girl through a combination of physical restraint and bribery.

"We'll see." His response answered almost nothing of what she had implicitly asserted, but it was perhaps the best she was going to get out of him any time soon. As they interacted, however, it seemed they were both becoming better at understanding one another's non-verbal signals. He surprised her though, when he continued.

"I said it because it needed to be said. I couldn't exactly have left it to Naruto, he would have tried to beat the problems out of you." She emitted a very Sasuke-like snort at that thought, admitting that she would not put it past him.

Sasuke's distraction played itself out as Weiss remembered her previous grievance with the raven-haired teen, and turned to him to renew her verbal redressing.

"So you are coming to the dance tonight, you are dressing up, and that means that you only have a few hours left to find a date and-"

"Actually," Blake interrupted what was sure to be a long and painful commandment and her teammate stopped mid-sentence to give the dark-haired beauty her full attention. "Sasuke is takin me to the dance, right?" She shot this last bit to her fellow of few words who simply regarded her with a single raised eyebrow. This didn't seem to transmit to Weiss, who was still wrapped around the previous statement made by her teammate, and was currently catatonic as her brain was rebooting after this surge of high voltage news hit her.

Her other teammates had caught the exchange as well, but seemed decidedly less shocked. Confused, and surprised, certainly, but they simply assumed it was out of pity for the boy, who looked on the verge of losing a screw himself if he continued to endure Weiss's insistence. They tried rousing the girl, but even mild physical stimulations did not seem to have any effect, so they proceeded to drag her away to their morning class, as it was getting increasingly close to that time. Jaune dutifully followed along, leaving Blake and Sasuke to straggle behind.

Sasuke reiterated his mute interrogative to Blake, who displayed her own gesture prowess, shrugging. "Like you said, it needed to be done."

She made to leave him then, stepping away with a light saunter that might have just been her nature as a Faunus. Sasuke hadn't paid much attention to it before, so he couldn't judge.

"Besides," she shot back over her shoulder "I couldn't exactly have left it to Naruto, right?"

* * *

Said blond reappeared huffing and puffing as he burst into the door of Oobleck's classroom. He was carrying his jacket, his shirt miss-buttoned, hair uncombed and overall in a state of dishevelment. He shot a glare to his partner who shrugged aloofly.

"Mr. Uzumaki, so glad that you could join us!"

With the usual speed with which the statement was conveyed, it almost sounded as if he was being sincere. But taking no chance, Naruto none the less apologized and hurriedly took his seat next to his teammate who he was still miffed with at having left him in the woods without a concept of how late it was getting. It perhaps made little difference, however, whether he attended the class or not, for after a quarter hour (which was a drastic improvement over the past months), he was once again lulled to sleep by the professor's frenetic and yet dull lecture.

Thus, the time passed rapidly, and it was soon enough midday, time for lunch. It was an odd set of coincidences that had Weiss and Yang called away for last minute festivity preparation, Sasuke disappearing along with Blake each to their own down-to-the-wire search for something presentable to wear, and thus leaving Ruby and Naruto to make their own small talk on the way to the mess-hall.

It was normally not all that difficult a proposal, as the two got along quite amicably. But with the night's events looming ever closer in the minds of everyone at the school, it lent a certain overtone to the situation that left both of the teens without an idea of what normal conversation would be in this case. They each started with mundane platitudes, but that thread quickly petered out. Each was afraid of addressing the elephant in the room, but at last it became too much for one of them to bear.

"So, Naruto, have you thought of who you are going to ask to the dance?"

A light dusting of rose colored the boy's cheeks as he scratched his whisker marks in equal parts nervousness and pensiveness.

"Not really. It's honestly something I'm not that used to. It's kind of embarrassing, I don't even really know how to dance."

Ruby chuckled and admitted that she was also not all that skilled in that aspect. That made the conversation a little less strained, as both realized that they were in very much the same boat. But for Naruto, there was an added complication.

"The thing is, back in Konoha, there was a girl I liked, my other teammate, actually. And I never really thought about anyone else besides her. It just feels kind of weird doing something like this without her."

"Oh, I see." Not that she really did. She had yet to feel that kind of attachment to anyone. Most of her youth was spent with her father and her sister and while she loved them both, it obviously wasn't the same variety that the young man next to her was talking about. And her life outside of that secluded world included her previous school, and now Beacon. In both she had spent more time concentrating on becoming a better Huntress, and so had not dwelled on such seemingly mundane matters. However, hearing her friend speak of someone in this manner left her feeling a little bit hollow.

"Hey, I know!" Like her companion, however, she was not one to let such thoughts linger. Naruto looked at her expectantly and a little shocked at the outburst.

"Why don't we go to the dance together? As friends- I mean."

Both youths had a light dusting of pink on their cheeks at this suggestion, though it was an innocent a proposal as any either one could think of, and neither was quite sure why it elicited such a reaction. But, it might save them from the potential humiliation of turning up to the festivities alone. Although it did present the potential for another sort of notice to be taken.

"Yeah, sure, why not? Sounds great!"

And indeed it did sound like an acceptable solution. Despite initial trepidations, it would be far more desirable to attend such an event if there was sure to be at least one friend there equally as unsteady in public situations. That particular problem settled, the two proceeded to the lunch room where food soothed harried nerves and lubricated the conversation which once again flowed unbidden between the two innocents.

* * *

"I feel like an idiot."

"You look like an idiot."

"Hey!"

"Well, what did you expect me to say to that?"

Naruto opened his mouth but shut it almost as quickly, he didn't have a witty retort for that. He supposed he shouldn't be complaining, the clothes that had been kindly provided to the both of them anonymously in their room that afternoon (he suspected Glynda's doing) were actually not too bad as far as dress clothes were concerned.

Both wore near identically tailored suits, though of different shades. Naruto's suit was a radioactive Klein blue upon a silken off-white shirt. He had forgone the tie that had been provided, giving up after several failed attempts nearly strangled him. Sasuke had managed to find a working knot for the rosy-pink tie and had fastened it over his slate gray shirt, and slinging his charcoal coat which matched his trousers over his shoulder.

The two of them were headed in the same direction to pick up their 'dates' who were conveniently enough in the same place and both were experiencing some unanticipated butterflies, though only Naruto showed any visible signs of nervousness. For all his bravado when lecturing Jaune, Sasuke honestly had had not real experience to this point with dealing with the fairer sex. All his previous training in these regards had been to address his fangirls. Those were handled in one of two ways: hiding and running away. Neither of which was a current option.

Team RWBY's door came up **way** too fast, being just a few down the hall from their own. No amount of idle talk could settle their nerves anyway, so the two steeled themselves and prepared for perhaps one of their most important battles to date. Each stared at the other, attempting to gain the edge by intimidating the other. Faster than the eye could blink, their hands shot out at one another, each forming a single hand-seal.

"Tch."

Sasuke glared at his flat hand and Naruto's closed fist. He might have taken time to rue his decision, but did not bother. You cannot win against idiots, after all. So, he donned his slung jacket in a fluid motion, some innate decorum mandating him leave the bottom button undone. Without hesitation, he rapped thrice on the door.

Assuring themselves that it was simple coincidence and not that the two were actively waiting on that expected signal, the door swung inward almost immediately to unveil their charges for the evening. It was the younger of the two who opened the door, her short stature leaving ample enough room to see that the only other occupant a dark and graceful presence over Ruby's shoulder.

Not being totally ignorant to the ways of the world, Naruto had prepared a rehearsed compliment that would hopefully earn him some good graces and not insinuate anything more than what he desired. But upon the opening of the portal, all words left him on the precipice.

"Hey, you look…"

Beautiful, was what he desired to say. It was not that same innocent beauty he recalled admiring from his pink-haired teammate, nor was it the same sort of graceful but deadly beauty he did acknowledge these strong women possessed in the heat of combat. It was unchartered territory, something unaccustomed and yet familiar, a beauty only Ruby herself could possibly accomplish dressed in that plain crimson dress the same shade as the tips of her raven locks, the one and the other feeding on each other in a sort of nuclear radiance.

"…beautiful."

Her face flushed to a color envying the dress. It was not exactly as if she was trying to doll herself up in some sort of pretentious and unnatural way. She herself did not envision herself as anything special, not this evening nor in general, but perhaps this unique event had precipitated some kind of awakening whereupon he took notice of what was present the whole time.

As Naruto gaped, he felt something gently thrust into his otherwise idle hand. Reminding him of his partner who did not so much as glance back to see if he had become cognizant of the offering, he looked first to Sasuke, and then dumbly to the object in his hand. He had little idea of what his friend was doing palming this almost-ungainly looking flower to him, but he saw that the other teen also had in his possession a near identical bud. He had already acknowledged the crimson girl and granted himself entrance to the room where he could greet Blake waiting amusedly in the wings.

Naruto saw, rather than heard the exchange, if indeed there were any words to be had, and watched as Blake allowed Sasuke to pin the corsage on the left hem of her modest yet fashionably strapless dress. Twigging on to what he was supposed to do, Naruto professed the flower to Ruby, who giggled in amusement of the gesture, but dutifully allowed him to do the same as his friend.

"Well?" Sasuke and Blake were now looking at the two of them expectantly, though Blake had an added twinge of amusement one hoped at some private the young man had made, rather than the display Naruto was sure he was creating with his bumbling attempts to pin the accessory.

"It might be fashionable to show up a little late, but Yang and Weiss know that we do not have any excuse to delay. We wouldn't want to give them the wrong idea, right?"

Though he was implicated by the double entendreas well, Sasuke was more clearly enjoying his date's teasing of his partner and his companion. The hue and mortification increased another few levels on the two before Naruto took the only option in his cornered position and in silent chagrin lead the assembled group out of the transept and down the hall. Being last out, Sasuke closed the door, and again with his no doubt inherited sense of decorum presented his lady his cocked arm, in which she looped her own arm without hesitation.

Still very out of his element, Naruto was unsure as to whether or not his friendship with Ruby constituted the same action. Fortunately, he erred on the side of mortification rather than disappointment and followed suit. To her credit, Ruby accepted his timely correction without a word or gesture to indicate that she had ever noticed the slip.

Whilst their comparative teammates seemed more or less content to travel in silence, Ruby and Naruto felt the need to transfer their pent-up energy from their now necessarily immobile arms to their mouths. Realizing that she had not yet acknowledged her companion's earlier compliment, Ruby offered what she hoped was an inoffensive compliment.

"Thanks, by the way. You clean up pretty well, yourself."

"Thanks." Naruto hoped that the barb was in good humor.

"To be honest, I kind of expected you to show up in a dress or something, you know, ridiculous. Like orange."

Deciding to ignore the slight to his still favorite color, Naruto balked. "Are you kidding? With all the planning and prep, your sister and Weiss would kill me if I did anything like that! I may be reckless, but even I am not that stupid."

Ruby had some doubts about that, but politely and laughingly agreed.

Their journey took them from the dorms to the main-hall, which in this instance had been coopted for the dance space with an eclectic amalgamation of decoration that somehow invoked a feeling of spring flowers impatiently overtaking the last vestiges of winter in a graceful and frenetic display of lace and lights. Naruto envied his teammate in this instance, for while he was invoking all of his effort not to utter some faux pas or even trip over his own feet, Sasuke looked right at home if not as a handsome date, then as a humorless yet apropos accoutrement to the elegant beauty. Naruto was fairly certain that he would never again look as misplaced as he did now.

"Oh! You look so cute!"

He was wrong.

Yang was serving duty greeting the arriving guests, and would not be joining them until the last had arrived. So they would have some respite from her doubtlessly relentless teasing, but were none the less grateful that they had not arrived late and incurred the wrath of the blonde bombshell who would no doubt have exploded at the inconvenience they would have caused. So they all hurried past her and into the dining-cum-dance hall.

Ruby's sister watched them disappear into the crowd with an approving smile. They were actually not the most ungainly looking couples at the gathering, that award would probably go to Jaune and Pyrrha. The former looking extremely uncomfortable, and without a trained companion to copy, extremely stressed with his numerous attempts to enjoy the revelry with a divinely patient Pyrrha.

Naruto and Ruby looked about as proper as any two peoples of their age and position should look, that pitiful combination of earnest willingness in blind direction. In Yang's estimation, it looked very much right.

Even with the difference in height, which had admittedly shrunk drastically since the start of the semester, Sasuke did not look too out of place accompanying Blake. Though if she had not known otherwise, she might have assumed him to be a stoic younger brother devotedly accompanying his inappropriately gorgeous sibling. He was, however, if nothing else good at concealing whatever mortification or even positive emotions he might be feeling. Blake, for her part looked entirely like a cat that had caught an especially delectable mouse.

In fact, Yang was a little put out. It seemed in an ironic twist of fate, it was she and Weiss who were to be the sole unaccompanied persons at the festivities. She almost regretted teasing her fellow blond now, considering how even though he looked decidedly inexperienced, he would have been better accompaniment than the solo evening it seemed she was destined for. Almost.

Upon entering the throngs of party-goers, the two couples split. Sasuke and Blake disappearing into the crowd with the two younger seeking to ward off drowning in the sea or people by clinging on to the driftwood supporting drinks and canapes. Feeling decidedly not hungry, Naruto instead sought out the punch to steady his nerves. He offered the same to his partner while silently praying that no one had decided to spike said drink. He did not yet know how alcohol would affect him, but did not desire to find out tonight.

The two stood arms-length apart with their respective beverages, each looking equally misplaced in this social setting.

"So…." Naruto began, venturing to break the winter ice that was desperately trying to encroach on the evening. Any harmless statement or suggestion that he was about to utter was silenced, however, as the drone of music that had been playing since their arrival changed tempo to become immediately noticeable. The ballroom floor thinned of the throngs of idle couples and groups and left only a dozen or so formidable pairs as the music adopted a tempo the likes of which Naruto had never encountered. Stringed instruments taking the lead next to a piano invoking a barely contained pattern of passion.

He was surprised, though by now it was perhaps par for the course, that he saw Sasuke and Blake arm in arm on the dance floor, the fact he was a good head shorter than the older woman seemingly taken in stride. Naruto cursed the unfairness of it all, as the dancers started in a choreographed flow of movement around the circle formed from the onlookers, Sasuke following seamlessly along. Had he even known that the music being lovingly evoked was in fact a tango, he might have questioned just where Sasuke had learned to follow such movements, and in fact what sort of music constituted this rather intimate and oddly aggressive category.

As the music faded away, and the dancers each acknowledged their partners, the two gawking teens by the concessions could not help but quietly applaud their friends whom they had to admit looked decidedly more graceful than either the two of them could ever hope to be. Before he could fully sink into a paralyzing hopelessness that would have been the end of all chance at enjoyment in the evening, Naruto remembered himself and rallied as the disc jockey appropriated the amplifiers and installed a more uncaring and energetic beat.

Naruto grinned as he regained his confidence with the change of venue, and cheekily set his drink down to extend an invitation to his still quite unsure partner. Ruby latched onto his self-assuredness quick enough, and the two like the children they perhaps still were summarily made their way onto the rapidly filling space previously occupied by their friends. Whom, they might have now noticed were busy rolling their eyes at the inexplicable but ultimately apparent diatribe they were receiving from a solo Weiss.

They danced to the novel sound with a reckless abandon. This was more of their element, the two of them lost in their own little clearing in the midst of the sound and the bodies invisible to everyone else but shining like beacons with their individual and combined passion. The song changed and so did their pace, but not their feeling as they discarded all previous inhibitions and trepidations, enjoying the time they had.

When at last the DJ sought to give the assembled dancers some respite and switched the music back to an un-danceable drone, both Naruto and Ruby were more than ready for it and all but staggered off to the wings and their long-abandoned drinks, laughing like loons, whether at their previous embarrassment or their current insanity, neither was quite sure.

They were flagged over to a larger table by an animated Yang who had managed to rope Sasuke and Blake away from a sulking Weiss.

"Well! You two look like you had fun." Yang pointed out the obvious, trying but failing this time to elicit a semblance of humility from the two teens. The two were much too content in their own skins at the moment to rise to any sort of mild prod that the blonde might have thrown at them. They simply agreed and greeted the still stoic, but mildly more relaxed Sasuke and unfailingly elegant Blake.

"Yeah, you and Weiss did a really great job with this party!" Naruto shot Yang the compliment, which she simultaneously accepted and brushed off the rebuff to her jibe. "You happen to know what exactly is up with her, by the way?" He questioned, glancing to the white-haired girl who looked both fuming and brooding in a passive-aggressive monolog.

Yang frowned at this, as did Sasuke and Blake. "I just think that she is a little upset, she asked Neptune out to the dance, but he turned her down." She explained, while Sasuke grumbled in the background and Blake made an uncharacteristic disapproving sound. "She didn't have to take it out on us though…" Blake protested. "I swear, I was about ready to hit her. She was not too subtly hinting about her disapproval about Sasuke and I."

Naruto was clearly confused at this, as he could see no discernable reason the girl should be disagreeable about their compromise, so Blake elaborated. "She keeps claiming not to have any prejudice against Faunus, but she doesn't approve of Sasuke and I being here together." Yang tried to downplay the behavior, stating that it was in all likelihood just a result of her previous bad mood, but Naruto was already incensed himself. He had tolerated the girl's attitude for some time, she reminding him of his short-tempered teammate in an oddly extraneous was, but this was in his mind an affront not just to his friend, but to her friend as well, and something he couldn't tolerate.

Blake could see the anger growing on Naruto's visage and sought to douse the catching embers. "Yang's probably right. She is just upset at not having a date and taking it out on anyone who will listen." Naruto still didn't approve of this, but it did placate him somewhat, or rather it directed his ire and frustration to this so called 'Neptune', who he was informed was Sun's partner, and his callous dismissal of the Schnee heiress, bad attitude or not. Naruto knew the pain of rejection, and could sympathize a base level with the girl.

"Someone should have a talk with that guy." And before anyone could interject themselves between the young man and his adopted mission, he disappeared into the crowd, Ruby struggling to follow him into the fray.

Naruto found the blue-haired professed 'cool-guy' leaning against a pillar far enough away from the dance floor and trying, but clearly failing to look at home. Naruto made no attempts to conceal his approach, and accosted the boy from a good distance away. The blue-haired teen was genuinely shocked to be addressed by the acquaintance of Sun's who was now directing a formidably disapproving look directly at him.

"Uh, hey Naruto, what's up?"

His frown only deepened as he got within arm's reach of the other boy and grabbed his navy-blue lapel, further wrinkling the fashionably distressed garment. "Why did you brush off Weiss when she asked you to the dance?" Naruto didn't know particularly why he was so upset at this slight injustice, but it seemed that procession of bad feelings that ended up with his friend and his teammate's friend being upset started right here with this blue-haired punk. He was not quite sure, however, just what he intended to do to the boy after he confessed, but he would figure that out as he normally did, on the fly.

He was even more unsure of what to do when the boy all but collapsed in his vice-like grip on his jacket and teared up as if someone had told him they would no longer sell instant ramen. The older boy started bawling and Naruto released him, wide eyed and decidedly confused. "Uh, hey, what's up? I'm not going to hit you or anything, so can you stop?" He reasoned with the boy who only continued with his hysterics.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded pitifully as he attempted to collect himself. "It's just, I-, I-" Naruto made a gesturing circle with his hand when the end was not forthcoming. He was getting a little impatient, he had a date to get back to, after all. "I can't dance!" Neptune finally confessed. Naruto blinked. "That's it?" At his nod, Naruto scoffed. "Neither do I. Just man up and ask her out anyway. It's not about you tonight, it's about her. She put in a lot of effort for this and apparently she wanted to do it for you. Don't just be a jerk, go talk to her."

As if receiving words from the messiah, Neptune's eyes lit up and he proceeded to thank the blond and bound off back into the crowd in search of the spurned girl. Within the space that his wake provided, Ruby emerged looking slightly panicked at Naruto's sudden flight. Naruto scratched the back of his head and greeted her with a chagrined look, he realized then that his exit from the conversation had probably not been the most subtle. He apologized profusely, which the girl willingly accepted after he explained what transpired between him and the other boy, and they had a good little chuckle at the absurdity that seemed to follow Naruto around everywhere he went.

The two were growing tired of the noise and proximity of so many rowdy individuals, and so took this opportunity being close to an exit, climbed the staircase to an open-air balcony that overlooked the darkened playset that was in the distance, Vale. There they stood side by side in the fresh silence and cool blanket of the night air.

Unlike the silence in the hour preceding the party, this newfound solitude was shared in relaxed contentment, both teens abandoning their nervousness on the dancefloor, and in their post-activity climb down from flushed faces and rapidly beating hearts they found they simply were enjoying the other's company. So much like the afternoon just spent staring at the clouds, the two of them were lost to a time that could have been the whole night if not for the pale and shattered moon overhead and the soft thrum of music in the background that had once more changed to a more animated selection.

Naruto had so many questions to ask, so many things he wanted to know, but couldn't and wouldn't, at least for now. But there were others that he could.

"Ruby, what was it like growing up with your dad and Yang?"

She gained a slightly pained smile, reading past the words to the question he really meant to ask.

 _What was it like to grown up with a family, with people that loved you?_

"It was nice." She corrected herself, aware perhaps for the first time her luck in having one loving parent and a caring sibling. "It was wonderful." She gained a wistful look as she tried to invoke as much joy and serenity as she could from the answer. "My dad was always there for us, helping us out whenever we needed it, hanging out with us and keeping us company when my mom died. He always had time for us, and each of us had our special time with him. He and Yang would spend hours playing catch, of all things, and he used to help me replicate my mom's recipes.

"Yang was always there for me as well. We would train together, go on adventures together, and just spend time doing girly things." She gained a slight frown on her moon-lit face then. "It wasn't always good. Yang sometimes got upset. Really upset. She never understood why her mom left our dad, and she never could let it go, even now. And that used to cause arguments between her and dad. And at those times, I missed my mom."

Naruto almost wished he hadn't asked her, but he did. He knew that even with families, people felt pain. Connections always ran the risk of being broken, he knew that even from when he was a child, and he learned about Sasuke's brother taking away all of the family the boy had. Never having had a chance to experience what it was like, he wondered if it was worth it, to have such bonds, even though that was all he ever strove to obtain. Seeing a smile return to Ruby's face, he decided that yes, it was.

Better to have love, then loss, than to never have loved at all. He just hoped that Sasuke would someday learn this as he had.

"But despite that, I don't think I would have traded those times in for anything else in the world." Naruto nodded and smiled himself at the assessment, and the two once more fell into a mutually comfortable quiet.

This was broken at the same time as both of them spied a humanoid form flitting about in the darkness. Both teens fell back to their training and adopted their warrior demeanor.

"Did you see that, Naruto?"

"Yeah."

"What do you think it was?"

He shook his head and narrowed his gaze hoping to gain another glimpse of the figure in the almost non-existent moonlight. "I don't know, but I have a bad feeling." He turned to Ruby now, and in a voice that she was unaccustomed to hearing from the jovial blond, he instructed her. "You stay here, and I'll go see who, or what it was." She made to protest, even though it was evident enough by his tone that he would not relent on this. "Ruby, if it does turn out to be something dangerous, I need someone here to alert everyone else." He reasoned, and Ruby saw the logic. "If I'm not back in say, half an hour, go get Ozpin and Glynda.

She nodded, recalling that she had seen the two of them making small talk with General Ironwood back down in the hall. She still didn't want him to go, but it was clear that he would do whatever it was he set about to do, and the solemnity with which he was operating dissuaded her from trying and getting in the young man's way.

He returned her nod, and apologetically handed her his jacket as he leapt off the limestone balcony and silently as a spirit into the darkness.

She clutched the still glowing blue piece of clothing.

"Be safe, Naruto."

* * *

He knew what he was doing was not safe, but he was without a doubt in his element. He perhaps should have waited to see if he could recruit Sasuke for backup, but timing was of the essence here, he couldn't lose whatever it was that he saw. And he also didn't want to cause a greater disturbance than there already was. So this had to be done now, and alone.

It was not all that hard to pick up on the trail. The person was quiet and stealthy, but in a hurry and not bothering to hide their trail. Perhaps they intended to come back later and do so. He quickly followed the subtle and definitely feminine tracks into the darkness, and thanks to his prodigious use of shadow clones to map the layout of the whole school, he knew they were headed in the direction of the CCCT tower.

He took notice of the deactivated security cameras as he entered the tower, his senses acting on ever-drive as the adrenaline fueled his pursuit. He was cautious as he approached the lift, and cursed as it seemed to be the only method of gaining the top floor. He could in fact wait for the person to come back down, but by that time he risked letting them escape without having figured out what it was they were here to do.

He pried open the elevator doors and leapt into the shaft, sticking onto the far wall before hurriedly running to the top and only other floor. He reached the bottom of the elevator carriage and barely had enough room to squeeze by the gap between it and the wall of the shaft, dropping into the car from the access panel on top.

He held his breath. There was no other way to get into the room without alerting the intruder other than the door in front of him. He had successfully gained the element of surprise on whoever was in there, but that would be lost as soon as the doors opened. He braced himself, and with a palmed kunai that he had hidden in the folds of his abandoned jacket, he depressed the button that looked like two arrows parting.

The slid seamlessly open with a slight hiss as Naruto leapt and rolled into the room, prepared to dive off behind one of the computer terminals should it prove necessary. He immediately caught sight of the lithe and disturbingly familiar female form hovering over one of the consoles. She proved not to be as inept as her obvious trail indicated as she immediately caught onto the sudden but subtle noise and twirled around to face the interloper, tensed to lash out at any attack that might come her way.

Naruto froze as he recognized the face attached to the body wearing dark and concealing clothing. He was lucky that she didn't immediately attack him in his hesitance, and instead smiled as if she expected his long awaited presence. He wracked his brain for her name.

"Ah, Naruto, I was wondering when we would see each other again."

"You're not supposed to be here." It was a statement, not a question. He was not fooled by her phony nonchalance; his youth had been spent avoiding the official tracts and subverting authority, and he knew when someone was knowingly breaking the law. He had had a bad feeling about this woman, Cinder he remembered now, back then too.

"Oh, no? Well, I could say the same thing for you, couldn't I? But that wouldn't be quite right would it, after all, I'm sure Ozpin had given you all sorts of dispensations for your…. extracurricular activities."

The grip on his kunai tightened but he didn't feel the pain of his throbbing flesh as it dug into the metal handle. It was very clear what the woman in front of him was insinuating, and if she had somehow become aware of their unique position within the headmaster's school, she was a potentially very dangerous person.

Should he kill her now?

As if knowing his thoughts, she placidly raised her arms in a show of surrender, although he was not buying that until he was very much assured that she was restrained and unarmed. "Easy Naruto, I'm not here to cause any trouble, for you that is." This did little to reassure him as well.

"So why are you here? To cause trouble for Ozpin or General Ironwood, I assume?"

Her coy smile never left her face and it was starting to grate on his nerves. He equated it to the condescending looks he used to receive back in the academy when he would try and fail to understand something and the teachers would never make the effort to correct his misconceptions.

"Perhaps, but why should that worry you? Why should you care so much about the man? He was the one who had you locked up, didn't he?" He wanted to rebuke this accusation, but knowing it was a truth, however skewed kept his mouth screwed tight. "Your attitude is commendable. Despite not being from this world, you only want to do what is right by its denizens." She shook her head and Naruto had to fight to restrain his arm from lashing out with the kunai right then and there. He no doubt needed her alive, that was his purpose after all, a scalpel, not a sword.

"It's a shame really, that you give your faith to a man who tells you nothing but lies." An arctic wind swept through the previously stifling room and froze his core while his processor was now running faster than ever. It was something that he was constantly afraid of. He had no reason to trust Ozpin other than the fact that the man professed that he would not lie to either of them. But how would he know? He had killed people in the name of a justice he could not defend even now. He really wasn't from this world, and he had no idea if what he was doing would ultimately be for the greater good. He always felt that it was, and he trusted his instincts. But what if…

The last vestiges of caution left Cinder then as she saw the reaction her words had triggered in the boy. This was exactly what she had hope for. All she needed was to instill the smallest modicum of doubt, a moment's hesitation in the field, the tiniest of slips and he would be useless to Ozpin. Dare she press it? She dared.

"Have you ever considered that you are fighting for the wrong side? Have you not seen the wickedness in this world? Have you not seen the way the treat the Faunus? And do you really think Ironwood and his army from Atlas have come in defense? Do not be so naïve, Naruto, you are smarter than that. These nations are fighting still, just with tools like you to do their dirty work."

"The White Fang are wrong, they kill innocent people." His words were feeble truth. Pebbles thrown at the Goliath of his own doubt. But he held on to his own truth. "This world may not be perfect, but as long as people are working together to improve it and aren't killing one another, isn't that peace? Isn't that good enough?" Peace is a lie. This statement came not from him but from a hidden vulture deep inside picking apart the corpse of his conviction. It was all too easy.

"Is it?"

No, no it is not. She needn't have asked, he had the question and the answer already cemented in his code, speaking it aloud made it no more real. But, he reminded himself, this was all just speculation. Just like everything else he had done since he arrived. He might be blind, but he could still lean on his guide and press on. He needed to. He needed to be right.

"The truth is, that's the way they want it." He tried locking away his doubts in a too-small suitcase, the sides bulging and threatening to tear the locks right out of the leather frame, temples throbbing, blood pounding. "They want people afraid, it's just so much easier to control them." Shut up. "They want to control everything. But fear doesn't work on you does it? No, for you they needed something else." Shut up. Shut up. "Your way home…." Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. "Did it every occur to you that they already know how to do it? I really must pity you two, if it were up to me, I would have sent you home already."

"Shut up!"

He couldn't handle it. He had to stop it, he was losing control over the situation and himself. If he couldn't get it together, he might wind up dead right here, right now, and then he would never get home.

Cinder just shrugged, nonplussed at his outburst and apparently uncaring whether he believed her or not.

"Very well, it is your choice to believe them if you want. But…" She stared at him and suddenly he was a bug caught in those amber pools. "next time you see Ozpin, you might want to ask him about the Four Maidens. It might… interest you." She lowered her hands then, and he did nothing. She sauntered past the rows of computers still bathing them in their dull green light as they sat idle. He did nothing.

She might have passed close enough that he could feel her red hot blood coursing through her veins, and she might have reached out and caressed his whisker marks then, toying with the poor boy whose overwhelming emotions had overridden all thoughts of physically restraining her from having her way. But she didn't. Out of pity, or because she was afraid that might snap him out of his stupor and cut her down where she stood, even she would not be able to say which.

Instead, she offered him a smile that in the dim light might have been cast as a look of affection had he been aware of it. But it was a useless gesture in any case, as his eyes were firmly fixed on the nearest row of computers, on the label set in relief on its front just out of the way of the monitor, the one which decried 'Schnee Dust Company'.

Her high heels, before, leaving an easily tracible mark, now left none as they clicked lightly on the concrete floor. Her hand glossed over the button to call for the elevator, to which the doors opened almost instantly, no one else having had need of transport that evening. She was about to enter the lift when a small voice belonging to a child and not to the hardened warrior she had seen in those videos accosted her.

"And would you send me- send us home?"

An ambiguous smile at the desperation.

"Of course, I said that I would, didn't I?

"And what-" His voice trailed off in the anechoic room, barely above a whisper. "What would I have to do."

Her smile became vulpine.

"Nothing."

"Nothing." She confirmed. "Nothing. Just at the right time. Do nothing."

* * *

The kunai she had returned was a lead sinker in the small of his back, pulling him further down, and his feet shuffled in the sands of the sea floor underneath the pressure of an ocean of doubt. He was leagues away, drowning. Oh, to drown in perfect water. Where were the bells, ringing out in perfect order that he was promised? Where was the salvation? The muted sounds of the party indeed sounded drowned as he dragged himself forward in the dark alone.

"Naruto!"

He heard the cry and the three sets of shoes tapping on the cobblestones well before he saw the crimson dress manifest out of the darkness in the form of someone he knew long ago. It was funny, for now the brilliance of the dress in this pale moonlight was a cloak which absorbed light and hid her luminous presence from his ken. The surest lanky form of Ozpin trailed behind her, as did Glynda hot on his heels. He had yet to see as serious an expression as Ozpin now had on his face.

"Naruto! I'm so glad you're okay. I waited the 30 minutes and then I got Ozpin and Ms. Goodwitch. You are okay, aren't you? What happened?"

He heard, but could not feel the concern she had in her voice. All of his focus was directed on the headmaster and his assistant. "I'm fine, Ruby." After a beat, he added "I'm sorry to have worried you."

"What did you see?"

Icy blue locked on to the coldest hazel he had ever encountered. He tried to reassert his estimation of the mysterious man, but found himself unable to see past the poltergeists of suspicion that now plagued his vision.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" The headmaster narrowed his eyes trying to see what he could feel in the ever-chilling night air around them.

"There was nothing. I was wrong."

Ruby bit her lips to keep silent. She was well aware of the silent argument going on between headmaster and student in front of her, but had no idea what it was about. She was just as confused as well, as to why Naruto had said there was nothing. There had been something. They had both saw it, she was sure of it and Naruto had confirmed it. What he was saying now was, was-

It was a lie.

And in that nothing there was born something. Something foul. A hydra with many heads and just as many tongues, unable to speak without biting one off, the rotten appendage falling to the ground and killing everything it touched as it dissolved into acid. But it would get easier. With each lie, each garbled and distorted word would become easier to utter and with each one cut off, another would take its place. Lies born of lies born of

Nothing.


	16. I Just Realized

It was closer to morning than night. Four o'clock, the darkest hour. The revelries had long since ended and the last of the decorations were being binned by the cleanup crew earning double wages for this gross amount of overtime. The midsummer night's dream was over and all were slumbering off the faerie's carousing, content that all was mended and those that had made asses of themselves would in the morning be human again, or Faunus, as the case happened to be.

But for Naruto, the dream, the nightmare was not over. He would not rest until he obtained the truth from the fairy kind and his Titania.

Sure enough, he found Ozpin at his desk, a single light burning anticipating his arrival. The archaic candle an apt accessory to the conspiring and furtive mood he had been envisioning surrounding the headmaster as of late. It flickered in his eyes burning holes in the young shinobi as he approached, dead to all else and perhaps in this instance even himself. The woven soles of his sandals were as quiet as when he was trying to be stealthy, quieter even, ironically.

He could even hear the flame consuming the candle's wick as he loomed in the orange light within reach. His voice became the last sound of the night.

"Tell me about the Four Maidens."

* * *

"Naruto, meet Amber."

They were in vaulted catacombs directly underneath the tower. A reliable system of fluorescent lights concealed by the arches provided dim light, but not warmth. Ozpin's words improbably echoed. Naruto would have thought that the sheer weight of the kilometers of hallowed out bedrock and the labyrinth of concrete above that was causing the unbearable pressure he was now feeling and that any words would have fallen as dead as he wished he could now.

He stared at the catatonic form of the woman frozen in the chamber. Underneath the glass sealing her away, underneath the mask forcing air into her failing lungs, underneath the scars that would never fully heal, he could see she was beautiful. But the power that she had supposedly possessed was long gone, or deeply hidden. She looked so helpless, now.

Like he felt.

This was not his world. He had to remind himself, over and over again. It was not his responsibility to care, but that didn't stop him. Like all his other feelings worn at the cuff of his tailor-made code, he couldn't help flaunting them. He sometimes wished he couldn't, wouldn't feel this way. Wishing did nothing.

He glared at the contraption keeping her alive, as if that could stop it, absolve him of all guilt and grant him the one thing he most desired since coming here. To go home.

"It was actually rather simple in the end." Ozpin's stood far away right next to Naruto as he strained to see the shallow rise and fall of her chest. "In the end, it was just enough energy, at the right time, and the right place. What you two did by pure happenstance, we can do with precision. Everything is in flux, always changing. It was one infinitesimally small chance that your combined techniques provided the right amount of energy when our two universes were 'closest' to one another. When you came through, you punched a hole, permanently connecting our two universes. Math. That was all that was left to figure out exactly where, and when to do it again. Math…" Ozpin looked towards the sleeping maiden. "…and now, power."

Naruto grit his teeth. It wasn't fair.

"All of our power is derived from dust, a very volatile substance. Our generators can only produce so many Megawatts, or else run the risk of exploding. Beacon receives most of its power form the one in Vale, but we have our own, smaller ones, for backup…" He nodded to the two pods joined in a Japan-Law twin at the end of the gothic hallway. "… and now for her.

"If we divert our own power to punch through, we lose her. And if we draw from Vale, there is a strong possibility it could overload the system and that would be a catastrophe costing hundreds of thousands of lives."

It wasn't fair, and he was angry. He was angry at the injustice. He was angry at Ozpin, for keeping him in the dark for so long. And he was angry at himself, for being angry at the poor woman who didn't even know who he was and how she mitigated his only chance to go home.

"She will die, though." Naruto shot a look at Ozpin, who didn't seem to be trying to give him hope, only stating the cold truth. "She will die, and we need to transfer her Semblance to someone before then, or risk it going to her killer. She has already lost half of it, but that other half is still an unfathomably powerful weapon to anyone who wishes to use it."

He turned back to the somber and silent young man. Naruto was shocked and alarmed as the man got down on one knee, dropping his cane with a metal clank as it landed on the bedrock floor and grabbing on to Naruto's shoulders and looking directly at the startled shinobi.

"I'm sorry."

Naruto hadn't expected this. For the past few hours he could not expect any of it. For the past day. Hell, it had been a strange wonderland, a drug induced dream since he had woken up across from Sasuke in that cell a lifetime ago.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I should have told you the whole truth. But this is one of our greatest secrets, and I hope you can see why." Indeed he could. As much as he hated, loathed to admit it. His mind drifted to his own secret known now to only him and all the pain it had caused him over the years. But would it have been any better had he known about it? Or would have become callous and vindictive, seeking to punish those who condemned him?

"I know it seems like I have lied to you, and even though I did not, I regret it. I kept my word, and I have found you and Sasuke a way home. But please, can you see that it must wait? Can you really ask me to let her die and doom my world? Of course it would not matter to you, you would be long gone when the peace and prosperity that we have struggled so hard to attain comes crashing down around us. But I know you are a good person, Naruto. If you ask me to do this for you, I will. As atonement for all the mistakes I made with the two of you, and the many, many more mistakes that I have made before you were even born. Will you ask me?"

No. Of course he wouldn't. He was Uzumaki Naruto, he couldn't be selfish. He would gladly lay down his own life to save a single other. He would go to hell and back for a friend.

"Use me."

It was Ozpin's turn to be caught off guard. He looked at Naruto like he was mentally deficient, and it was perhaps the first time he had felt such derision from the man. Naruto was insistant, though. "Use me."

"Naruto…" Ozpin rubbed his temples, clearly straining his nerves after staying awake all night and now having to disclose the most tightly kept national secret to a child barely into his teens. "We can't use you, you are not a girl. While you might be a good match for her Semblance, you must admit that the other fact is too big a hurtle, even for you."

But Naruto was not discouraged. In fact, he smirked slightly at the man and for a moment Ozpin doubted even his own assumption. He would lose it all together when Naruto stepped back out of the man's grasp and made a single hand seal, concealed momentarily by a cloud of smoke, slightly taller than the boy himself had been.

When it had cleared, Ozpin found himself dumbfounded, but quickly recovered. He was coming to understand that Naruto was indeed a fountain of impossible. He knew of course, that the boy could transform, but had forgotten that detail in the ensuing time.

What stood before him was a person unmistakably Naruto, from the blonde hair and whiskers, to the cheeky grin on the fact, but it was also very clearly a stranger to the headmaster. Unlike the only other time he used this technique in this world, the transformation he formed was fully clothed. She wore a silken Furisode that was an extrapolation of the male's tabard, forest green with the aubergine streaks now a shade more to violet, fluidly winding in and out all over the kimono in a pattern resembling an angry river.

Her form was perfect, or close to it. It seemed that he had coopted parts from the members of team RWBY, but with the modest dress he couldn't be sure. Her face was decidedly more feminine, a youthful persona with high, almost Slavic cheekbones accentuating the remaining whiskers, and cascading blonde hair, the only attempt to restrain it, a cerulean hairpin tucking a strand behind her right ear.

"Will this do?"

A brief shake and the man was out of his trance.

"Isn't it just an illusion though?" The different voice was a pretty clear indication, but he had to be sure.

The girl, the female Naruto shook her head.

"Normally, yes. But I have altered the technique slightly, admittedly by accident, at first. But I am solid." She reached a heavily cuffed hand to one of the folds of her kimono, beginning to slide it down seductively. "Want to test it?"

Ozpin couldn't help but chuckle and wave dismissively, even given the circumstance. He did not blush, to Naruto's chagrin. It seemed the man was even more in control of himself than even the Hokage had been.

"That won't be necessary." His expression turned stoic once again. "But I am afraid that this doesn't solve everything." She cocked her head and regarded him quizzically. Ozpin held up a single finger. "One: I'm betting that even though you are solid, you probably can't hold that forever. Even if you somehow **could** , you would need to be constantly protected, we couldn't risk losing you to a careless bump or mishap. Two: if you adopt her semblance, we could never let you go home. There is no way we can afford to upset the balance of this world like that."

The woman nodded solemnly. "I know." This stopped Ozpin form continuing his list. "I know. I would do this, and you could send Sasuke home. I would stay here, forever."

Ozpin was shook up at this. He knew the boy was a selfless individual if he ever met one. But this was tantamount to being a martyr, perhaps even worse because he would not die. He would have to live with the consequences for the rest of his life. He would have to be accustomed to being treated like glass, and not to mention all the unmentionable aspects he would have to get used to being a girl.

He shook his head dismissing the suggestion. "That still doesn't help the first problem. You would still be too vulnerable a target. And there is also number three:" He extended his middle finger, ring and pinky. "When we transfer a semblance, we are transferring more than just her power. We would be transferring a part of her, her attitude, her personality, her life. You would cease to be Uzumaki Naruto, then. You would not be Amber, either. You would be some unpredictable mix of the two."

This was something that the teen had not considered. He could live with himself as a girl. He could live with himself in this world as well, if only he knew that he kept his promise to Saukra. But if he became a different person, would that even matter anymore? He would have a part of that dying woman in him, and maybe it was more important for her to be useful in this world. Maybe she, and therefore him couldn't live with themselves when they realized what they had done. What if he became the type of person to break his promise, by trying to keep it?

She clenched her hand, and the nails digging into her palm dispelled the technique. Naruto broke down crying, then. He just could not understand why he was forced to be so helpless. He wanted to do what was right, but at every corner he was cut off from finding a way out, a way back home.

Ozpin once more leveled with the distraught young man, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Just be patient Naruto. I have someone in mind who can assume this role. I just need a little more time. And then, when that is done, I can send both you and Sasuke back home."

"Touching. But while I appreciate the offer of self-sacrifice, perhaps you could ask me for my opinion first?"

The sudden interjection cause them both to turn to its source, and from the shadow cast by the closest column the size and breadth of the tallest tree Naruto had ever encountered back in fire country. Sasuke slunk out of the darkness, eyes narrow and accusatory at the two engaged in their private conversation.

"Sasuke? How did you get down here?"

Ozpin stood up and regarded the other approaching ninja with a hint of apprehension.

"I followed you, idiot."

Naruto brushed aside this insult, far more interested in the surviving Uchiha and his motives for spying on them. Ozpin was still aware of Sasuke's previous statement and focused on that. He seemed less surprised at the other teen's presence.

"And what is your opinion, Sasuke?"

Stopping his approach a good few meters in front of the two who were now both standing and regarding the boy expectantly, Sasuke offered it.

"Well, first of all I am a little offended that you decided not to share this little secret with me." Naruto did feel a little guilty about this particular fact, but did not intend to keep it a secret from his friend for long. Sasuke shrugged. "I suppose it doesn't matter, you may have told me eventually. But I am a little annoyed that are ready to go and sacrifice yourself so that I can go home, Naruto." He looked at his friend, far more coldly than what he seemed to be expressing. "What makes you think I even want to go home?"

This was a shock to the two listeners. More so to Naruto, who had been operating under the assumption that he was doing all of this, sacrificing his life and dignity so that he could bring his friend home again. He thought they were returning to their old team dynamic, and that when they returned things would be back to the way they were. But now, it seemed as if Orochimaru still had his slick fingers dug into his friend and he wasn't thinking strait.

"Not this shit again! I told you Sasuke, from the very beginning. I'm going to bring you back home even if I have to break every bond in your body! I'm not going to let you become just another body for that pedophile!"

Sasuke just offered his usual scoff. "And how, pray tell, would he do that while I am here?" That stopped Naruto's outburst. He had given it some thought before, but habits were hard to break.

"But what about Konoha? What about Kakashi, Sakura? What about getting avenging your family?" Naruto desperately tried to appeal to whatever new Sasuke had appeared before him, hoping that somewhere there still existed his comrade in arms. Someone who would recognize these symbols and their importance.

It only served to anger the young man. "Yes Naruto, what about my brother? What about Konoha?" He spat these two items as a foul taste worming its way into his tongue. "Did it ever occur to you to ask yourself what would happen if we did go back to Konoha." He hadn't but that was because it was so clear in his mind. "Yeah! We'll go back and Granny can reinstate you and we can be a team again-"

"Fool!" Sasuke growled out. The idiot couldn't see it, but this was a hard decision for him as well. Not that he particularly wanted to return to Konoha, even if by some miracle they allowed him, but he was admittedly giving up on avenging his family, killing his brother and restoring the Uchiha line to its rightful place in shinobi history.

"Do you really think they would let me back that easily? After everything I've done? For all you know, the rest of the retravel team could be dead! I am really worth it? All those lives for one?"

Yes. Part of Naruto wanted to say to his friend. His first, and for a very long time only friend. Yes, I would kill, have killed for you, so that we can go back together. But he realized that he was lying to himself, praying for a simpler world that perhaps never was, and certainly would never be again. He remained silent.

"I still want to kill my brother." He regarded his partner, eyes averted to the dead floor and fist gripped so tightly he thought he could see rivulets of blood beginning to flow down into the paper-thing cracks in the stone. "I still hate him, god I hate him. Damn it, can't you see it's my desire, my entire reason for being I am giving up?! I'm giving up because it's the right thing to do!"

This silenced all objections Naruto had been formulating. He knew of his friend's ambition, his drive. He had not always agreed nor supported it, but Sasuke was his friend and he would help in any way he could. Was forcing him to go back to their world the same as killing him? No, but it would still damn him to a life centered around revenge and bloodshed. A life that surely awaited the both of them if they went back. He had not admitted this to himself, though the whispers permeated up from the bowls of his mind while he slept. The became more and more insistent every time he took another life, growing stronger in the bloodshed.

Sasuke took a couple of steadying breaths, regaining control of himself. The next part he would need all his mental acuity and restraint to convey. "And Naruto. You know it's best for you not to return as well."

Though he was starting to weaken on the idea of his friend remaining in this admittedly more peaceful world, this statement reignited the contrary blaze in Naruto's gut. "What the hell do you mean by that, Sasuke?!"

He could feel it. That anger, the rage, the power lurking behind those cerulean orbs burning with a red flame on the cave wall and casting a shadow of things that professed to be truths. He started. He couldn't turn back. He needed to convince Naruto that he had every reason to stay here as well. If he went back, he would likely suffer the same fate as Sasuke. Here, here there was some chance of, what? Normalcy? Prosperity?

Life.

"Naruto," It was a voice close to pleading that got Naruto to quell his fury. "You keep asking people not to lie to you. Quit lying to me, to Ozpin, to yourself." Fear more than anger embodied the blond now. "What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean? Do you think I haven't noticed the glares, the animosity directed towards you? You can't just dismiss it on your pranks. Those aren't enough to cause the hate that I have seen sent your way. And it isn't just that. Your whiskers. Your birthday. That red power…." With each passing minute, Naruto could feel the tension building in the room and in his body. Whispers flowed up from the darkest depths of his being, goading him, laughing at him. Reminding him.

Ozpin stood mute spectator to the private conversation happening in front of him.

"Go on, Naruto. Tell him." Sasuke gestured to the ignorant headmaster who waited patiently for someone to enlighten him. "He had told us the truth. Now it's your turn."

"I don't know what you mean." Naruto insisted, propounding the lie.

"Tell him."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Tell him."

"Sasuke, this isn't funny, just-"

"Tell him about the Kyuubi!"

He had known. Of course he had known the whole time what his friend had meant, what he was building up to. But he denied it, to the last. As if denying its existence would make it go away. It had not worked before, but maybe in this brave new world there was hope of that. Now, he was sure there wasn't.

Ozpin was growing too weary and too curious to remain a spectator. "And what, pray tell is a Kyuubi?"

"Tell him." Sasuke asked this time, his voice not admitting any sort of weakness but pleading with his friend none the less.

And so he did.

He spent the next few hours of what was sure to be the early dawn somewhere far above telling Ozpin about the day he was born, the day the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox was sealed within his body. He told him about what it meant to be a Jinchuriki, a human sacrifice. How he lived with it, all these years. How he lived, not knowing for that long as well.

By the time he finished, an untold amount of time had passed. Enough time for the headmaster to have aged several years. He felt tired, weary and so, so old. He had to sit down on some spare masonry, cubits of speckled granite that had not been used in the construction and now likely would never be. But the night was not yet over. Not for any of them.

"So, the Kyuubi." Naruto nodded, not daring to meet the man's eyes. "Is there a possibility that it can get out?" He didn't want to, but he had to ask. The look of pained betrayal on the vulnerable boy's eyes was almost too much to bear. But the answer finally came. "No, I don't think so." Ozpin sighed, whether in relief or defeat from this marathon of a night. "That will have to do, for now."

Both Naruto and Sasuke, who had taken seats themselves on the smooth and icy floor, regarded the headmaster as his attitude seemed to alleviate. "In any case, the Grimm don't seem to be attracted to it, yet at any rate. So, I don't think we need to worry about it right now." The man lifted his tall frame off of the stone stool, his cane keeping him balanced, he placed a single arm against his lumbar, ignoring the ache that was starting to form. Getting old was no fun.

"Now that we have all born our souls to one another, I think it is high time we all head back up and get some rest. We all have some long days coming up ahead of us. Am I right in assuming that the best option for as all, for now, is to continue as we have been. Whether you intend to stay with us, or go back to your home world, we cannot do anything about the latter now, and if you intend to stay you might as well do all you can to make sure this world stays safe. Am I correct."

Both Sasuke leaning up against his pillar and Naruto propping himself against the empty glass chamber had no arguments, at least none that seemed to manifest now. They were almost too tired to care what world they were in, as long as it had a bed.

Ozpin tapped his cane, jovially punctuating what seemed to be an accord. "Excellent. Well, let us all return to the school, and I will inform your teachers that you have taken ill and won't be attending classes today. You two can rest, for now. In a few days, the other students will begin taking their first missions, and at that time I may have need for you. Until then, let us all try to take things all in a better humor, hm?"

The two were all too eager to agree to this, but as Naruto sat up and waited for the blood to return to his head, another thought came barreling into his dizzy mind. He groaned.

Ozpin looked over the bags now forming under his eyes to the distressed boy, curious as to what now was causing him discomfort.

"Ozpin, there's one more thing. About last night, there was someone."

The marathon continued well past the wall.

* * *

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Naruto had lied to her. She knew it. He was not a very good liar, she had figured that much out fairly early on. This one, though, had been different. It had been good. Not foolproof, by any means, but it was delivered well, without hesitation. It frightened her, disturbed her. Displaced her view of the immutable boy she had been forming since she met him looking frantically for his friend that very first day. It had stolen her security. If Naruto could be moved to lie to his friends, nothing was out of bounds. It frightened her. She was worried for her friend.

She was hurt by him.

"Hey Ruby! Didn't see you this morning. How did your date go last night hm?"

Yang's overly loud greeting startled the sleep deprived girl from where she had been resting her head on the lunch room table. In fact, she had not strayed far from this hall all night. The hall, and everything else in her world simply shifted while she stayed put. Heavy wood tables took the place of the lace and pageantry, and stranger had taken her best friend.

Yang placed a concerned hand on her sister's back as she lay with her head down on the table once more. "Are you okay Ruby? You don't look like you slept all that well last night. Wait, did something happen? Did Naruto do something to you? I swear just say the word and I'll make sure that little bastard never steps within ten meters of you, in fact, I think I'll make sure he never walks again-"

Blake stepped in to coral this rant before it escalated into an actual problem. "Hold up, Yang, Sasuke and Naruto both dropped us off back at the room, we left before you did."

It was true, they had escorted the women back to their room, a silence unnoticed by the dark-haired pair, but painful for Ruby who was unsure of what ailed her friend in this instance. Both had professed exhaustion, and though she genuinely was, Ruby snuck back out anyway to try and follow the two boys who quite patently did not return to their dorm either. She had lost track of Naruto when he went into the elevator to see Ozpin, and she lost track of Sasuke soon after. Though she had returned to the one and only lift going to the headmaster's office at the top of the tower, neither Naruto nor the headmaster had reappeared.

"Okay, so he didn't do anything inappropriate. Did he say anything to upset you Ruby?" She questioned her sister who was still busy mulling around the night's events in her sleep-deprived mind, but Ruby was off in her own and did not respond. Yang directed the question to Blake, who was just as mystified, confessing that she had not seen Naruto do or say anything amiss. Well, apart that is from storming off at some point to have a one-on-one with Neptune. Which actually did seem to do some good, as she had caught glimpses of a much more agreeable Weiss chatting animatedly with said boy. In fact, the two of them (she assumed Naruto was mainly following Sasuke's prompting) had both been quite gentlemanly all evening.

Ruby was without a doubt distraught. She was torn about whether or not to inform her friends about what had transpired outside the dance last night. Part of her worried that she really was just making too much of this. Perhaps they really hadn't seen anything. In that case, though, why had Naruto stayed away for so long? Well, he could have been looking and then never found anything. But the state he was in when he came back spoke of something else. What, or who had he seen that caused him such distress, to clam up and even **lie** to not only her face, but the headmaster's and Goodwitch as well?

"Come to think of it," Yang postulated, chin gripped in thumb and forefinger. "I haven't seen either of the two boys all day. Glynda didn't seem to notice though. Odd."

That clinched it for Ruby. She had to let them know that she was worried.

When she had regaled them with the tale from last night, it elicited a plethora of responses from the rest of her team, Weiss having joined them moments ago, enough to comprehend that something was amiss with their leader. Yang was troubled, but more curious than anything else. Weiss was nonplussed and failed to see what the big deal was.

Blake was struck cold. If she had been any more cat her hair would be standing on end and back arched like a taught bowstring. She had been through many ups and downs in her estimation of the boys, deciding to be the more mature and rational self that she imagined she was, she had extended the olive branch in her mind to them by inviting Sasuke to the dance. In her mind, he had not disappointed. He was rather mysterious and tight lipped about a lot of things, but he made no attempt to hide this fact. Naruto on the other hand, seemed to be incapable of a harsh word or action.

Except when he was. She recalled the incident with Cardin, and the sweeping rage that had billowed off of him. Had she been superstitious, she might even have imagined seeing it manifested in red silken sheets sloughing off his back. He was capable of anger. And now, apparently he was capable of lying, another trait she had not associated with the brash young man. So the question now was: what else was he capable of?

"Well, speak of the devil, or one of them, at least."

Sasuke had just staggered into their field of view, carefully focusing to balance his lunch tray, which held aloft a simple repast of grilled fish, a small salad, white rice and miso. They had seen the boy consume this fare for breakfast many times, and indeed it did look like he had just awoken, though had not intended to.

He yawned, and it was an interesting experience seeing the paragon of dignity in any lesser state.

"Morning." Which, technically it was.

Well, not any more.

"Well, look who is up. Sleeping Beauty, I presume?" As usual, Yang preemptively broke whatever tension was beginning to mount with an attempted witticism. The likes of which, Sasuke normally only answered with a glare, but today not even bothering with that low-energy reply. He was all glared-out it seemed.

He all but flopped into the bench seat across from Blake, broke his chopsticks and mumbled an unintelligible and half-hearted blessing before he tried and failed several times to pick up a glob of glutinous rice, before he manually corrected his grip on the chopsticks with his left hand and tried again with what could barely be defined as success.

He looked like shit.

The entirety of team RWBY just stared at the incredulous scene for several minutes, as if watching the normally dexterous and nimble Uchiha stumble around with his utensils as if the act of eating was as hard as juggling. Which should have meant that he would be eating just fine, because they had seen him juggle razor sharp kunai before, but this was not the case.

"If you leave your mouths open like that, it will attract flies." Sasuke leveled a weary glare at the collective, bagged eyes struggling to form the appropriate amount of malice. They should have figured, he could probably even manage to glare while asleep. The collective gawkers had not actually had their mouths open, but they stopped their intensive staring none the less.

Yang would have been tempted to poke him, to see if he was indeed real, and not say, Naruto under an illusion to prank them. None of the girls would put it past the boy. But she opted not to, the moment her finger got close, Sasuke gave her a look that made her fear for the safety of her digits. She opted for verbal prodding. "So… you look like shit. What's the matter, had too much fun last night?"

"Hn."

"Didn't you sleep at all?"

"Mh."

"Any idea where Naruto is?"

"Nh."

Yang, Weiss and Ruby all turned to Blake, who looked back at them, not quite understanding what they expected her to be able to do. "What do you want form me? I don't speak male grunt." They had figured that since she had been spending the most amount of time with the boy lately, and had become quite fluent in his dialect of non-verbal communication that she would know how to translate the monosyllabic responses.

Sasuke carefully placed his chopsticks down in parallel spanning his rice bowl. Without looking at any of the girls, he gingerly picked himself up off of the bench, tray following once he was on his feet. Before he turned to depart, he decided to pity them with some of his last reserves to deliver a verbal answer to one of their inquiries.

"I don't know where Naruto is. Ozpin said that he wanted to see him as soon as he got up."

With his civic duty done, he departed with no more than a half-assed wave and not one more word, leaving the remaining teammates to ponder exactly what was transpiring under their radar. As out of sorts as he looked, he very well could have been returning to bed, and so they would continue to look for him in their afternoon classes. They were totally perplexed at the unfolding scenario before them. In a way, it was rather preposterous. They were the ones supposed to be sneaking around at night, right?

* * *

"So, she wants you to do nothing?"

Naruto nodded in affirmation. He was still quite groggy but had complied with the headmaster, who looked like he had not gotten any more sleep himself after they had parted the previous night, or was it morning, by then? In any case, the headmaster soldiered on, fueled by whatever potent brand of bean he perpetually drew his energy from. Naruto wondered if he shouldn't give whatever it was a try.

Ozpin sat, head resting on interlaced fingers for a good few cycles of the clock, deeply immersed in thought. Finally, he spoke, with a degree of gravitas that Naruto had not yet encountered from the man.

"Naruto. If I can, I want to ask you to do something for me. I need you to be very committed to this task. I cannot stress how dangerous, how very close to the edge we will be playing this if you agree."

Thoroughly rattled by Ozpin's preface, Naruto gulped and awaited further elaboration. He was still not sure if he could fully trust this man, but for now, he was still the best option Naruto had. And now, he knew of the beast held within the intricate seal inscribed on his navel.

"I want you to do as she says." Naruto blinked. He couldn't possibly have heard that right. But no, replaying the short declaration in his mind, he had indeed been correct in the headmaster's wishes. "Umm, are you sure about this?" Ozpin sighed, the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Yes, I am sure. I told you it would be dangerous, didn't I. It is critical now, though. It is obvious that we have lost the element of surprise, if the enemy is this deeply infiltrated within our defenses, they no doubt know every move we are going to make. The only way to catch them off guard now is to do something drastic."

"With all due respect, I don't know if I can do pretend to be on her side. I know I am a ninja, but I am a terrible liar." He was a little chagrined when Ozpin nodded his head, agreeing with him. "That is precisely why you are the **only** one who can do it." Ozpin opened his eyes and bore into Naruto's pools of azure with his own stone cold hazel, making Naruto flinch. "If she was asking you to play the long con, actively try and subvert your mission, I would have to abandon everything all together. But you don't have to lie, you just have to be able to hold back when the time comes. If we can get her to think that she has exploited a weakness in our security, then we can get the drop on her.

"Please, Naruto". There was that plead again. He hated hearing it come from a man who was normally so sure of himself, a rock weathering in any storm. This vulnerability, it made him afraid. "I cannot force you to do this. It has to be up to you. And I know it will be harder than anything I could have possibly thought I would ask of you. It is one thing to take the life of an enemy, what I ask of you now may cost the lives of some of your allies, hopefully not, but possibly your friends. But it will save many, many more."

Naruto thought back, far back to when he had first met the man on the other side of those metal bars so very long ago. Two sides of the same coin. Both were trapped behind bars of their own making. Back then he had said that everything was equal. Matter and energy. Action reaction. Good and bad. Life and death. What if he was brought here as a balance? What if by doing nothing, he was dooming the world. He was good, wasn't he? But then again, so were his friends, the ones that truly belonged to this world. What if he didn't do this and managed to doom this world. Every move he made now surely had repercussions farther down the line than he could possibly fathom, and he had no idea of knowing which ones were the right ones.

He took a deep breath as Ozpin passed the globe onto his shoulders. He was alone with the fate of the world crashing down on him. But he wasn't, was he. He had Sasuke, now constantly by his side. He had Glynda. He had the others, team JNPR, team CFVY, team RWBY. Weiss. Yang. Blake. Ruby.

Ruby.

He needed to have faith. Faith in himself. Faith in his friends. Faith in the world to continue and do the right thing. Suddenly his burden was not so heavy. The strain no longer crushing him into the abyss far below. It was alleviated by the buoyancy and loftiness of the good souls he had encountered. Of course they weren't heavy, they were his friends.


	17. Super Taranta!

ACCESS DENIED

"Huh?"

She jabbed the non-existent button again like she would with any other non-functioning machine. Surely it was just a software glitch.

ACCESS DENIED

Maybe not.

Furiously prodding the empty space in which was projected the holographic button that when depressed should acknowledge their team's bid to accept the mission, Ruby was growing increasingly frustrated with the obviously defective system which instead kept displaying that blaring and offending message barring their access. It was times like this that she wished for some physical piece of equipment so she could smash it to relieve her consternation.

Her team watched her with increasing apprehension and confusion at their leader's lack of success with the supposedly intuitive system. Their patience too, was wearing thin. Two other sets of eyes watched them in their futile efforts from a good deal away, out of earshot but not shouting distance. Theirs was not. It could keep repeating the message for as long as it wanted for all that one of them cared.

" _You can't let them go! You're sending them right to the White Fang!"_

" _I cannot stop them. Best to let them go with some supervision, at least."_

" _Delay them, send us instead!"_

" _Do you even know where to go?"_

Naruto winced as Ruby's childish profanities directed towards the stubborn program reached over the din of the crowd and became audible to the two shinobi waiting silently. Silently, for even though they were not supposed to look like they were waiting, much rather deliberating, neither could bring themselves to disperse the underlying apprehension which was at the moment keeping them alert and thinking.

" _I must agree, I do not think it is a good idea to send any other students into harm's way. That is why you have us, is it not?"_

" _It is not a good idea. It is not an option. They are as determined as you are to locate their hideout. Surely you two can empathize with their stubbornness?"_

" _There is a difference between stubbornness, and stupidity. We know what we are getting into. They do not. A single experienced Huntsman cannot be expected to keep them safe and deal with the White Fang or any other threats that may be encountered."_

" _I know."_

Goodwitch's profile came into focus behind the displayed screen with the mission to Mountain Glenn as she sidled up to the unwitting teens. It was her that had delivered the announcement not five minutes hence, and in fact, the woman seemed to be assuming quite a few of the headmaster's usual duties more frequently, the older man making himself scarce as of late. She had donned her practiced poker-face as she clacked up in her high-heels at this, her que. Ruby and the others whipped around to face her as her specter became corporeal on the other side of the display.

"Ms. Goodwitch, the system doesn't seem to be working." A redundant comment if ever there was one, Ruby's voice could be heard degrading the program and threatening its programmers from outside the thick stone hallway.

Goodwitch sighed and adjusted her glasses, concealing what she feared might be an unconscious tick. This was not her usual role as a strict vanguard of the gules and she was not exactly comfortable with her superior's decision. But she trusted him. She had always trusted him, and now would be no different. Still, it didn't keep the spindly tendrils of doubt from having their way with that bundle of nerves in her spinal column. If anything were to happen, it would be on her conscious as well.

"I'm sorry, but missions outside of Vale are normally not available to first years."

A knifing fear stabbed into the group of huntresses-in-training. It seemed that their best option for exploring the possible build-up in the Southeast of the White Fang was to be ripped from them in a cruel twist of fate, just as it was dangled within their reach. It was the worst of all possible outcomes, for now they might be assigned to another mission and their window of opportunity was already fast closing.

"But, Ms. Goodwitch, I'm sure we can handle it. It's just a research mission."

"I'm sorry girls." She was. She truly was. "But those are the rules, I cannot break them on exception for you. We cannot send a single first-year team on this kind of mission, it's just too dangerous."

Yang caught on immediately to Goodwitch's phrasing, and an illuminating glow engulfed her as an idea incepted itself. They still had a chance to take on this opportunity, if only Goodwitch would let them bend the rules slightly.

"What if we weren't alone?"

Yang's teammates looked at her in a combination of confusion, curiosity and blasphemy.

"I mean, I know we already have an experienced huntsman or huntress to watch over us, but you said that you couldn't send a single team on this mission right."

Goodwitch bit her lip as Yang bit the bait hook-line and sinker.

"That's right. And there are no full teams currently available to accompany you, all of them are off on their own missions."

"Well," Yang shrugged her shoulders in innocence "then what about sending those two with us?" She shot a hand out singling out the two ninjas partially concealing themselves in the shadows, who had been expecting this sort of signal for some time. The others followed her finger's path to the two boys who from their position looked to be innocently idle. This suggestion by her older sister set off alarm bells in Ruby's mind, however, and she quickly whipped the blonde-haired woman around by her shoulder to whisper conspiratorially.

"Yang! What are you doing?" Ruby shot in a hushed whisper. She was soon joined in the huddle by their other two teammates, who were equally apprehensive with Yang's suggestion.

"Yang, we already agreed that we shouldn't bring anyone else into this. The fewer people know, the easier it is to keep a secret. If they were to come along, it would be impossible to hide the fact that we are looking for something."

Yang just gave them a mischievous smile suggesting she had already been aware of this fact. "Don't worry about the two of them, just leave it to me. Trust me, it's not hard to keep boys distracted."

Despite the fact that the rest of them still held many misgivings about this plan of action, they had little choice if they wanted to accept. They were already eating away at what little time they had and Goodwitch was still hovering impatiently for them to end their private conversation, and clearly not all too happy with being cut out. Ruby gave a pained sigh and bowed her head, conceding to the assertion of her sister, and they broke out of the huddle.

Seeing that they were done with whatever deliberations they were holding. Goodwitch grilled them with her eyes waiting to see if any objections were forthcoming. When they stood in silence in clear indication for her response to this suggestion, she felt her stomach drop. She had been hoping the others might talk Yang out of this idea, which they had of course been banking on this whole time. Now she had to deliver the rest of her lines without falter. She swallowed her pride and fear.

" _I know. That's why I am not sending them alone. You two are going with them."_

"Well, I suppose that could work. Naruto and Sasuke have yet to choose a mission. If you were to ask them…"

As Glynda blinked, Yang disappeared and reappeared in a burst of previously unknown speed. Upon her return, in her gauntleted hands hung two shocked and irate shinobi strung from their collars. All onlookers blinked a few times, coming to terms with the celerity with Yang moved, and the choice that now faced the two boys, and what their answer would be.

"Well?"

Glynda looked at the two. Stared pleadingly into Naruto's cerulean pools which already looked pained and ready to burst with all of the sorrow and apprehension welling up inside. She wanted him to refuse. She wanted him to give the answer that would allow her to sleep that night, without worries that she might have sent innocent students to their fate. She knew that he too did not want this. He wanted with all of his heart to keep his friends safe, but Ozpin had persuaded him that the only way to do that in the future, was to take calculated risks now. So even though his every twitch, spasm and breath said no, she already knew what he would say.

"Okay."

She steeled herself once more and nodded to them. Biting her lips and trying not to use enough pressure to start bleeding, she brought out her administrative scroll and tapped a few back-door codes, and the large screen that had until now proven a voracious obstacle to their success, finally flipped from the incensing red sign of denial, to an emerald and welcoming acknowledgment of their reception.

Team RWBY gave a subdued cheer, Yang pulling their two human-passes into a one-armed hug. Each shinobi was ensnared in both a painful and yet enviable position crushed into the anoxic environment of Yang's bosom. Neither could much enjoy their position, though it had little to do with the inability to breath. Rather, it was the shame and guilt that they now felt, knowing that despite the fact the girls thought they were getting the upper hand by using them as leverage, it was in fact they that would be taking advantage of their desperation and using their safety as a bartering chip for their own goals.

But there was no turning back now. They had to press forward and accomplish their task. Only once that was done might they then rest easy.

* * *

It was Dr. Oobleck that met them at the landing pad outside. Their Bullhead transport was already warmed up and had its contingent of personnel ready and awaiting their arrival. The warm wind from the jet engines swirled around their approach in a deafening eddy, befitting and snapping their loose clothing against their skin, spots stinging where metal hardware hit flesh.

They all pressed on to the landing pad, one hand shielding their eyes from the miniscule particles that consistently tried to insert themselves into their eyes. They boarded the craft and immediately took their seats and strapped themselves into the four-point harness. Apart from Ruby, who was hurriedly tucking a small day sack under her feet, they were devoid of extraneous luggage. Oobleck had insisted that since they were flying, there would be no need to take extra supplies. The professor himself would provide sleeping pads and other such necessities.

Sasuke and Naruto, however, having been briefed of the mission beforehand, and also not being in the habit of going anywhere outside of school grounds without the most basic of survival implements, were kitted out with a veritable armory. This arsenal, consisting of their usual ninja weapons and tools of the trade, was also augmented with some heavier duty explosives, both seals and otherwise. It was not sure whether or not they should expect to run into any more Atlatian armor, but after the last experience they were taking no chances. They had been provided with shaped-explosives by one of Ironwood's men, via Glynda of course. They too also carried the basic necessities for prolonged encampment, as well as full field medical kits, for neither one of them knew the most basic of healing techniques.

They lifted off in a steep ascent, their stomachs still resisting the sudden departure and begging to stay down on the ground. Naruto watched their departure out of the open cargo door, seeing the school become a plaything before his very eyes. Flight was still such a marvelous experience for him, but in his apprehension he couldn't enjoy it. As the campus became smaller and smaller, and the city whisked by underneath them, he couldn't help but think about what this all might look like through the eyes of someone wishing to control it. It was a dollhouse, inside a mock landscape made from liken and toothpicks. It could be crushed so easily.

Naruto looked over to his friend, hoping then to entice him into some light conversation. Sasuke was asleep, however. Or, at the very least pretending to be. His eyes screwed shut and a pensive scowl etched on his face as the fingers of wind whipped in and out of the cabin, tussling his hair. Naruto decided that whatever the case, he did not want to disturb his partner.

He looked over to their fellow teammates, wondering how they would choose to while away the hours it would take them to reach the abandoned settlement. Blake and Oobleck were each engrossed in their own books, the doctor taking a compulsory sip from his thermos every few breaths. Yang, Weiss and Ruby all seemed to be engaged in their own conversation, the details of which were not transferred the short width of the cabin to where Naruto might overhear them, the background noise of the engines and constant wind being too fierce and adversary. He sighed as he found he would have to find his own means to keep occupied. But in his current restlessness, he doubted that was possible.

He was to turn his focus back to the rapidly passing scenery, the immense walls of Vale in sight for the first time. He had to marvel at their immensity, being easily twice the breadth and width of the ones that encircled his home village. That though in itself brought dark thoughts, surrounding this world's need for such defenses. Though they were supposedly at peace, those walls spoke of ever present conflict and danger.

His mind's eye alerted him that something had shifted in the cabin, and he glanced back to the port side where the members of team RWBY were still engaged in heated debate. He caught Ruby looking at him as she flinched and ducked away under his watchful sight. He felt a further pang of guilt tear at his heart. In that glance, he saw her concern and her worry, but most of all he saw her hurt. It killed him to know that he was the cause, but it was even worse not to know if he could mend it.

He would keep telling himself it was for their own good. And maybe, it would make it easier on them when it was time for the two to return home. If they were kept at a distance, perhaps their absence would not hit them so hard. He tried to convince himself of these lies, but failed to instill a halcyon state to his troubles. Time and distance had not dulled his love for his home and the precious people it contained, why should he expect the same not to be true for them?

He hardly noticed when the landscape shifted back from the every so familiar fecundity of the countryside, an endless sea of treetops that looked from their height like Astroturf abruptly cut off and homogenous concrete took its stead. It was not as if they had flown in a circle and returned to the bristling metropolis of Vale, however. It was very clear, even from this height that the city below them was a graveyard.

There was no color, no sign of life. Windows were just holes that lead to empty spaces and streets just no-man's-land populated by the skeletons of lampposts long since robbed of any energy they might have once conducted. The ripples of heat distortion from the engines did nothing to take away the oppressing sameness that stretched on for as far as the eye could see.

Amidst the sameness lay a patch of nothingness. A footprint from a giant that would never walk the Earth. The craft slowed an banked, circling this barren patch of concrete where once an individual's dream would have risen out of the cracks in the ground like a dandelion to spread hope and progress on the winds that now refused to blow in this city.

The bullhead did not touch down, merely alighted on its pillars of fuel-compressed air in an invisible bubble of force which kicked up the remnants of a lost people, bits and bobs of lives right along with discarded waste and years' worth of undisturbed dust. They hopped the short distance down to the ground from the cargo hold before without another word the masterful pilot took to the thermals once more and retraced his way from the wasteland back to the living city that awaited him.

"I remember this place. It was meant to be an expansion to Vale, but it had to be abandoned when the Grimm just overran it."

Yang spoke out once the thrum of the engines died in the distance over the rooftops. The streets were silent save for their collective breaths, which all of them were equally thankful for. It was a foreboding place, a place which stood as a monument to man's hubris and a memorial to all those whose lives were lost in the effort. They were each grateful to have someone next to them, for even if the only thing lurking in the shadows was Grimm, it was a reassurance to have an extra set of eyes, as well as another body between themselves and the beasts.

So, it was no surprise that in their state being knocked and ready to fly, that a sudden and unexpected bark emanating from their unguarded rear nearly sent a plethora of weapons in that direction. Thankfully, regard for their comrade who at the moment looked more flustered than fearful stayed their hand as they all twitched to identify the source of the interloping sound.

Suddenly being the center of attention made Ruby especially sheepish, and she chuckled nervously as all eyes focused on her. It was almost a relief when the stowaway Zwei poked his head out from her knapsack. Almost, because with the revelation of her misplaced pet came a new slew of embarrassment as she would now have to explain how the half-pint hound ended up on this mission. Her teammates of course knew of the dog's presence, so she was focused more on the three who were until then in the dark. She could not yet tell if the twitch of annoyance on Sasuke's face was due solely to being set off guard by the miniature beast, or annoyance at her for bringing it along. She was more concerned with the potential reprimand from their senior Huntsman, though. The oblivious wagging of her pet did nothing to assuage her growing mortification as Oobleck became deadly focused on either her or the creature.

So it was greatly unexpected, but not unappreciated relief when Oobleck regained his usual disposition and commended her forethought and insight in his frenetic manner, punctuating the usefulness of dogs in the field all while he coddled and prodded the nonplussed pup simultaneously. And, to their credit and Ruby's relief, neither Sasuke nor Naruto seemed all too surprised by this turn of events. If she didn't know better, she might assume that they had some sort of previous experience with combat dogs. Oobleck's reaction was surprising to all, but they had learned to cope with the man reasonably well, by now.

"Well, we cannot afford to delay any longer. We have a lot of ground to cover, and not a great deal of time. So, tally-ho!" Oobleck cried out as he turned on his heel and resumed his meandering into the deserted and foreboding concrete wilderness. The first little crisis handled, the others felt a little more energetic at the prospective mission and followed suit, albeit with a slight bit more guarded caution than their seemingly aloof Professor.

That cautionary instinct served them well over the next many hours as they encountered one Grimm after another and defeated them subsequently in the defense of their senior member who was busily scribbling down notes on any number of subjects that from his whispered soliloquies did not always pertain to their current efforts in slaying the beasts. By the time the sun had set and Oobleck had deemed it prudent to set up their lodgings for the night, all of the young fighters were more than ready for the well-deserved break.

They installed themselves in the second story of a relatively intact concrete and rebar structure that may at one time have either been slated for offices or apartment housing had a large chunk like a mammoth shark bite not been excised from the middle of the second and third floors. The debris from which had mostly fallen to the outside, hence their choice as the floor where they now collapsed on their recently inflated mats proved relatively clear.

Oobleck had already fortunately gathered firewood and started a small blaze that kept them warm as they reposed in their makeshift shelter, for by the time they had ceased being vertical, they could scarcely imagine getting up again for any reason. Despite the fire, the pre-packed rations were eaten cold and ingested with as much energy as any of them could muster, and so a noticeable silence highlighted the crackling of the small flame as they lackadaisically masticated their evening meal. They each shifted back and forth from appraising the cardboard packed and flavored rations and each other, collectively lost in their own conundrums.

"Did Oobleck ask you guys why you wanted to become huntresses?" It was Weiss's curiosity that overpowered any sort of pensive restraint that had been staying the question from being posed. The silence was reinstated when the others hesitantly nodded one after then other. This included the two boys, who had been asked the same question by the doctor several hours previous. It was not a question that any one of them expected to be asked, but for the two shinobi masquerading in this role, it was an especially difficult one to answer.

On one hand, they could just as easily cite the reasons they became ninja, for the two were very similar occupations and many of the same motivating factors pushed them out of bed each day. However, another part of each was cognizant of the fact that they had little choice in the matter, and that this station was merely a temporary state before they were born back to their previous life. But even this was not the whole truth, as became more and more evident. Naruto especially had begun questioning this choice and his resolve in this decision since the midnight confrontation several nights hence. He and Sasuke had more or less been following Ozpin's directions placidly for some time now, because they had always seemed the best option available to them.

But that woman, Cinder, had instilled a nagging doubt into this conclusion. Naruto was not so foolish as to assume that the woman was anything close to resembling a benevolent force in this world, but just because she wasn't 'good', did not mean that she was not correct. There were no guarantees in this foreign world, a fact which seemed to be propounded day in and day out recently. Ever since their happenstance transportation here, randomness and entropy were becoming constant themes, and it seemed all they could do not to be swept away in the chaos.

So what would they say? The hesitance with which the female team replied to Weiss's query would only delay the inevitable so long, and the responsibility to formulate an answer would soon fall on them. They had instinctually answered Oobleck in the previous iteration. But could they now tell them the same platitude? Having had time to mull the question over, could Naruto really answer with the incomplete lie?

Sasuke met no one's gaze when his turn came around. "It was what was always expected of us. You were either a huntsman, or you were a civilian. And being a civilian is to be nothing." Naruto didn't know whether to thank or scold his friend as he apparently took it upon himself to answer for the both of them. So, he settled for regarding the others' reactions and felt his gut unwind when it seemed they each were more engrossed with their own responses rather than theirs.

All except Ruby, that is. Naruto felt his gut re-clench as he caught her fleeting gaze from across the fire, her grey eyes crying tears of fire as they met his cerulean pools. It burned to look at, and he averted his sight. The painful afterglow only tightened the razor wire he had wrapped around his misgivings to keep them in check. He could not let this fester, and the wound needed to be cleaned, soon.

The chance came, perhaps a little too soon for Naruto's liking, but few things these days had come with convenient timing attached. He had volunteered for first watch, and as he sat on the lip of masticated floor, legs dangling over the edge and into the dark abyss below, he was distracted by the innate feeling of being watched. But it was not the gaze of any nocturnal creature appraising him like a midnight snack from the grayscale cityscape below, it was a pair of silver slits that slipped like spear points into his back.

"You should get some rest Ruby, your watch isn't until later, and we have all had a hard day."

She had slid silently from her mat on the far end of the fire over to him with a commendable amount of stealth, but Naruto had been observing her peripherally for the entire time, aware on a reptilian level to her discomforted air as it approached him. He did not need to see her, to feel her presence, normally akin deep reservoir, warmth emanating and invading the surrounding earthly material bursting forth to the surface from springs and fractures whenever it could. Now that bubbling warmth was buried far underground, and only the calcified surface remained. It hurt, but was not unexpected.

"Naruto."

He did not want to look at her. It was all he could do to keep himself contained, knowing she was near. He could not bear to sully her purity with the machinations he was forcing himself to keep bottled up. The only thing keeping him steady was the knowledge that it would be better for the both of them, in the long run, for her to be unaware of what he and Sasuke were to do under the cover of darkness. It killed him, but this was the life he was born to. It was what was expected of him, as a ninja. He was slated not to be nothing, but that still felt hollow. Long ago it had been his goal to be acknowledged, to gain the respect of all those who knew him. How could he do that, hiding in the shadows? How could people know him, when he did not even know himself?

"Look at me."

He did not want to, but he had no choice. He saw what he dreaded he would see in her face, but against all odds, the undercurrent of disappointment and worry was buried beneath a tide of determination. He was held prisoner by the look that he so often wore as his own crown, sullied here not by the new queen which bore it, but by his own mistreatment of the station.

"Naruto, why did you lie to me?"

Oh, god, forgive him. In that moment, she could have asked for his head, and he would have given it. But this request, he could not grant.

She had known all along that this was too much to ask of her friend in this moment, but she had dared to hope none the less. But she did not need to know the why. She could assume, as she had done before, that the intentions behind it were just motivation. But she could only do this if she could trust him, and with the acrid lie still lingering in the air between them, she did not know how she could.

"If… if you can't tell me why, can you at least tell me that it was for a good reason?"

She was pardoning him. She had spared the guillotine for a few pieces of silver against the mountain of debt he owed. It was a token, that he was asked, though he swore he would deliver it all someday. He nodded in solemnity.

"I swear, Ruby, I didn't lie to you to hurt you. And I promise, when it is all over, I'll tell you everything."

He hoped this was true. He hoped he would still be around to keep his promise. But as long as he himself did not know, he was absolved of having to lie to her again.

"Please, I am so sorry. But I can't tell you right now. Believe me, I am doing this for you, and everyone else. I am still your friend."

"I am sorry, Naruto, I do not know how I can believe that." He felt the noose tighten as she refused his olive branch. He felt the platform give way and he no longer had anything to stand on, but before the sudden stop arrived, a pale hand reached out to stay the sentence. " **But** , I know that you are my friend. And for now, I guess that is good enough, right?"

Out of all the things that his life unexpectedly thrust upon him, Naruto could not fathom what he did to deserve such a fate. Moreover, he could not imagine how he came to deserve such a friend. He gently grasped the petit hand which had captured his shoulder.

"Thank you, Ruby."

"Friends forever, remember?"

The smallest of smiles graced his moonlit face. "Yeah, forever." For as long as he could make it last.

"You should really get some sleep now, though. It isn't your watch for another few hours." He gently prodded, hoping she would not protest. Displaying the extent of her faith, she did not. With a gentle squeeze of his shoulder and returning a smile of her own (only after giving him a playful raspberry), she silently padded her way back to the fire and the company of her team.

Naruto watched her disappear into the light and warmth, and saw her settle behind the waning flames, content enough for now, to try and sleep.

"Good. Can we get going now?"

He lost the caring smile but never broke his fixated regard of the girl swaddled in her red cloak.

"Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

Having all this time to sit by herself and think, Ruby was immensely grateful that she had reached a level of contentment in regards to her blond friend. She was not in the habit of doubting anyone, especially the boy who seemed to ooze confidence and integrity, but even the smallest of doubts would encompass this time of contemplation and drive her mad with worry. She was satisfied with the way things seemed to be reconciling themselves, and treated herself to a glance at the two boys bunked an appropriate distance away from the rest of team RWBY, but close enough to reap the benefit of the rejuvenated fire. Gaining a small smile, as she reassured herself of their omnipresence. She needn't worry.

But without worry, she was bored.

She dangled her feet over the edge of the broken concrete, silently humming a tune in her head while occasionally hazarding a glance into the silver-bathed street, keeping an eye out for any potential threats. So far, not even a mouse seemed to find this moon-scape hospitable, probably having ridded the abandoned city of the last morsel years ago. A solitary Beowulf or two warily plodding across being the only movement since she started her watch.

Her hand was idlily scratching the shaggy grey fur of the puppy which had its head propped against her thigh. The dog which had been snoozing placidly suddenly raised itself on its haunches, and with a blink and shake, ridded itself of the last vestiges of sleep, before it suddenly bolted away from the startled girl.

Ruby resisted the urge to cry out, afraid to wake her compatriots who needed all the rest they could achieve. Not cogitating the consequences, she abandoned her post and gave chase to the miniature canine which had disappeared into the potentially dangerous darkness.

"Zwei!"

Ruby called out to the empty streets. She had lost sight of the little pup after she had followed it out of the building and into the bleak darkness, made all the more impenetrable after her eyes had become accustomed to the muted light of the fire. She tiptoed her way into the night, keeping her ears open for any sounds which might alert her to where her pet had run off to in such a hurry. She walked carefully and purposefully as her eyes seemed to be taking a while to adjust to the lack of light.

Even still, she had gone several blocks down, and taken a handful of turns before she caught the faintest of movements. Cautiously approaching now, in case it happened to be something other than the little dog, she approached the small shape orbiting around a rusted lamppost. She released a breath that had been cooped up sans notice when she realized it was only Zwei carelessly relieving himself and asserting the extent of his territory.

Feeling more than a little foolish at having let the little pup drag her away from her guard, she approached the other side of the street to admonish the little beast. She had taken but two steps toward her wayward animal, when gravity suddenly left her. Or rather, what had been staving off gravity's effects had suddenly given way and she found her gut trying to crawl its way into her throat.

The street did not give way all at once, and instead bent and crumbled down into the abyss like a melted candy bar. As she slipped away from the surface, reaching out desperately to the ignorant dog just now finishing his business, instinct tried to prevent her fall and she reached for her weapon prudently slung across her back. If she could deploy Crescent Rose, she could arrest her fall. But the rest of the street gave way much quicker than expected and her hand slipped off of the handle as her feet slipped into the pit, and she reached the point of no return.

* * *

"Ruby!"

Naruto shouted from the rooftops to the disappearing form of his friend, but she could not hear him as the darkness slurped up the red morsel. Sasuke aborted his own leap and whipped his head around to his distraught friend, glare stuffed with irritation or worry. "Shit!"

They had been lucky so far, incredibly so. In fact, to date their missions had gone a good deal more smoothly than even the chores that they had been assigned in their previous life. So, it was hardly surprising that fate should decide to send them an added complication now. They had so far managed not to get too late a start, departing immediately after Sasuke had affirmed that all concerned parties were asleep and unawares, leaving two of Naruto's clones in their stead, one of them assuming Sasuke's appearance. They would have lasted long enough for the two to complete their mission, not doing anything more strenuous than sleeping.

But now what were they to do? They could hardly continue their probing of the area with one of their teammates in jeopardy. If Ruby injured herself in her fall, then they would be forced to evacuate and end their mission early, the chance at finding the hideout of the White Fang lost for good. It be alright if she was only unconscious. Perhaps then Naruto could replace her with another clone, and they could complete their survey in the night, and return with the girl in the morning, and thus get at least one full nighttime to search out the hideout.

Plans never survived the first contact with the enemy, or his teammate, for that matter. Before Sasuke could contemplate further, Naruto leapt down off the rooftop and made to dive in after Ruby. "Idiot! Stop!" Sasuke quickly leapt after his unreasonable friend, managing to outpace him and grab a fistful of his tabard, holding him back from leaping into the hole.

"Let go you bastard! I have to make sure she is alright!"

"And if she is? What if she is awake? Don't you think it would be a little suspicious if you come leaping in after her?"

Naruto wanted to shout at his friend, disregarding his valid point, but being restrained as he was, had a moment's extra pause to think, and come to the same conclusion. If he were to go after her now, it could reveal their whole position. All the work they had done, Ozpin had done, to keep them hidden, would be for naught. But what if she was injured down there? He couldn't just leave her.

Sasuke saw his friend's bared canines shine silver in the pale moonlight, and felt the anger of his glare almost as sharp. Despite his supposed callousness, he did feel for his partner and their mutual friend, but he would not relent. At least, not until they had a plan of action.

"Look, just wait a minute or two, enough time that it might be reasonable that you heard her…"

But Sasuke stopped mid-sentence as they did hear something. Both directed their attentions to the pit, where in the darkness they did encounter the voice of Ruby, but also of two others, male, and unknown to the ninja.

Teeth and fist clenched, the grip on his partner becoming even more entrenched in his garment. He couldn't let him just go galivanting in to rescue the girl, though it would be par for the course for them. It should have been expected that something serendipitous like this would happen to them, but it was still a surprise. Before Naruto could give any further protest, he needed to assert control over the rapidly snowballing situation.

"We have to go back for the others."

"There's no time!" Naruto hissed, but Sasuke was unrelenting.

"You go in there now, not only do you put yourself in danger, but Ruby, and myself, as well. Are you willing to risk exposing both of us, her to your mission?"

No. He knew he could not do that. But he also could not just sit here and do nothing.

"So what should we do, huh?" Naruto all but spat. Sasuke took it in stride, though, he understood his friend was just frustrated, as he was as well. He was thankful at least that he seemed to be willing to listen at this instance. But in order to keep him thinking rationally, Sasuke had to come up with a plan of action.

"Ok, look, I'll go back, you dispel my clone and I will claim that I heard Ruby fall it and bring the rest of them after us. Go after Ruby, but try not to be seen ok? Can you handle that?" A few months ago, he would not have believed the blond could be anything resembling stealthy. But after they had pulled off two missions that had required such skills, and after witnessing himself, the normally ostentatious shinobi exhibit this crucial ability, he had no doubts it could be done.

Naruto nodded affirmation, not entirely happy with the command, but comprehending of its necessity. As soon as he felt his partner's hand release his outer clothing, he turned back to the hole, and quickly appraised the best course of entry. Sasuke bounded off silently to complete his own role in this course of action, while Naruto unhesitatingly secured himself with a length of wire wrapped around a kunai which he anchored a safe distance away from the edge of the hole. Taking a cursory glance to make sure that he would be alone once he exposed himself, he leapt off of the lip and down into the nothingness.

He hung there in space, with nothing visible around him, and felt unsettled at the emptiness. He crushed all such uneasiness beneath his insurmountable determination and caught the faint disappearing glare of a light in the darkness far below. Just before the door shut off the last vestiges of light into the pit, it illuminated the trace of a platform some meters below. Without a doubt, that was where he had to get to.

He uncoiled the spool of wire steadily, perhaps too quickly as the infinitesimally small wire cut into his clenched hand, but he paid it no heed. He swung himself so that he would be above the platform, or should be. He released the wire without a doubt, and landed on all fours with a muted thud on the corrugated metal platform. He fluidly raised himself and grasped the door handle in the darkness with his bloodied palm. He did not open it right away, however, listening to see if there was anyone waiting for him on the other side.

Determining that the presumed three presences had left, he cracked the door open and cautiously followed the pale white light into an ugly laminate hallway. He caught he last of muted taps of boot on the linoleum, two heavy and one light, and followed with his own silent prowl after the fading trace, careful not to fully catch up to his prey.

'Don't worry, Ruby, I am here. I will always be here.'

* * *

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Hello, Little Red! It's such a nice surprise to see you again."

Roman Torchwick pronounced conceitedly to his captive audience as Ruby glared daggers back at him bound at the wrists and sandwiched between half a dozen White-Fang grunts. She was perhaps too irritated, or foolish to be nervous. Although, to him, it was genuinely nice. How lucky for him, that this little annoyance just fell into his lap like this?

"You're never going to get away with this, Torchwick!"

He was not sure whether or not to laugh at this proclamation, but his body insisted on a non-verbal tick.

"You don't even know what we are doing here."

"That doesn't matter, I won't let you do it."

Already growing weary of this encounter, the ostentatious villain debated amusing himself by regaling the ignorant Huntress with genius of their plan, but decided against it. If she could not deduce it from the unconcealed sight of White Fang soldiers hurriedly loading boxes of explosives onto the prepped locomotive, she did not warrant any assistance. And he had been having such poor luck before this windfall, that he did not want to push it. If somehow, improbably, she was to escape, the less she knew, the better.

"Keep telling yourself that. Whatever helps you cope."

With a careless and flagrant jerk of his head, he signaled the White Fang who were guarding the girl. They understood the implicit implication and set about carrying out his orders as the supposed mastermind turned his back to the unfolding bloodshed. He wasn't queasy at the thought of dispatching this persistent thorn in his side, but it still was not something he relished in observing. The soldier on her right jerked Ruby's restraints to the tiled platform and crushed the end of the coarse rope under the heel of his boot, while the rest, sans one other, backed off from the three of them to avoid the potential splatter.

The White Fang that had been on her immediate left unsheathed an Ōdachi slung low on his tree-trunk waist and swiftly raised it above his head. Ruby stared expressionlessly at the dust-covered tiles, unable to come to terms with the imminence of her death. She did not have time to give up the hope that someone from her team would come from her. As she watched the thin shadow bisecting her own become thicker and darker, her only thought was to Crescent Rose, her poor weapon laying abandoned on the surface. She wished she had it now, if not only to escape her predicament, then just for the tactile reassurance the carefully honed metal would provide. If she had known it was such a poor substitute for human contact, would she have done things differently, she wondered?

She saw the shadow disappear, and a splatter of blood trickle down her neck and spray across the floor, mingling with the dirt and grime. She waited for something to happen. Shouldn't her head be looking back up at her body right about now? She had always heard that the mind continued on thinking even after the neck was severed, but this was a little ridiculous.

A thump, no two, did land on the floor kicking up small pillows of dust, but they were both much too large to have come from her. The weight on her restraints had been lifted as well, and she traced the armored and booted leg up to the reposed corpse of one of the White Fang that had been holding her captive. Their face was pressed against the floor now, and she could see that the blood, well some of it at least, was leaking from the two wounds stoppered by metal knives in the man's back.

What was going on? As she quizzically raised her gaze to appraise Torchwick who had returned his own attention to her direction, she could see that he was asking much the same question.

"What the hell?"

"Don't you ever touch my friend!"

Ruby could no longer feel the small stones digging into her knees as a wave of calm washed over her. It was sense of completeness, of rightness. Had she been clutching her weapon to her breast, she could not imagine that she would feel any better than she did now. She had her blade. He was here.

Torchwick glared at the improbable attacker, coagulating out of the shadows of the ruined underground city like a miniature specter. Had the bodies of the two White Fang soldiers not been laying at his feet, ruining his newly replaced shoes, he might have laughed at the gall of this pip-squeak who stood now, plainly in front of them, sword drawn and shield clutched at his sides. He could not bring himself to any show of bravado, either. Looking at the twin blades of ice accosting him from across the divide, and witnessing an inexplicable torrent of wind billow the would-be hero's garb, he was left without his usual confidence.

Still, he could not lose face in front of these animals, despite the fact that the remaining soldiers had weapons drawn and were appraising the blond newcomer warily. They did, after all, just have two of their comrades taken out before they could blink. Perhaps it was time for a tactical retreat.

"Forget him, it's time to go."

The White Fang were hesitant to turn their backs to this new opponent, and with good reason. As soon as they shifted to move towards the safety of the train, the yellow and green youth attacked.

"You're not going anywhere!"

Without a thought or hesitance, Naruto thrust his shield out in front of him, directed right in the middle of the assembled White Fang. He did not even know exactly what he was doing when his Chakra forced its way into the shield, and out the directional vents in its skirt. A bubble of air emanated from around the rim, and he was hurled right into the middle of the stunned group.

Before anyone could come to terms with this sudden burst of speed, Naruto lunged at the nearest enemy, sheathing the midnight blue blade into the man's sternum. The others, becoming cognizant of the immediate danger, moved to engage the threat, but they were far too slow to compete with the enraged shinobi. Naruto ripped his blade out of the body and spun to deflect the haft of the axe that was raised to cleave him in half. He delivered a shattering punch with his shield that the man absorbed with his face, and diminished with his now activated Aura. Undaunted by the mitigation of his strike, Naruto reared his shielded fist back again, and again, and again, pummeling the man into the ground.

He placed a sandaled foot on the downed man's back, and glared at the rest of White Fang who were now determined to use their numbers to take him down.

"Hold them off! The train's about to leave!"

Naruto heard the shout from the orange-haired villain as he mounted a compartment of the massive vehicle which was now billowing steam from its engine and groaning as it attempted to break the rust and time that had kept it underground for decades. But he did not care, he would deal with Torchwick in a minute.

The other soldiers charged him, and he responded in kind. The first man was faster than the others, but still not as fast as he was. They both raised their weapons to strike, but at the last minute, Naruto veered off towards the center of the three enemies, dragging his blade low behind him. With a single, swift cut, he broke through the man's poor Aura surrounding his leg, and neatly severed the muscle under the kneecap. The man went down, but Naruto ignored him in favor of the sole woman of the group, who had just now made a fatal hesitation seeing his diversion. She had had her sword reared back for a horizontal slash, but Naruto thrust his breaker at the hilt of her sword, knocking it out of her grasp, then followed through in the same movement and kicked her in the stomach, knocking her back.

He turned to deflect a spear thrust from the last White Fang with his sword. He then hooked the haft of the spear in the 'mouth' of his shield, yanking it down and towards him. The man stumbled, and Naruto punched him in his masked face with his sword hand. The man fell back with a cry on his back, but he was shown no mercy. Naruto stepped towards him, and kicked him targeting the man's jaw. Even with Aura, the man was stunned by the surprisingly strong blow.

The woman whom he had knocked away had now all but recovered, and stepping over the downed man, Naruto rushed her before she could gain her senses. She had barely managed to recover her weapon when she dragged her arms up to block a strike from a downward swing, but fell for the same move as before as Naruto once again kicked her expose stomach. She fell to her hands and knees, releasing her grip on her weapon. She was unarmed, but still a target, and Naruto showed no mercy as he kneed her in the face. He could feel the cartilage crumpling into the meat above his knee.

As she fell motionless, he coldly turned his gaze to appraise the rest of the damage. He saw the crippled White Fang trying to drag himself, either away or to his weapon. Without pause and in only a handful of strides, Naruto was over him. And as callously as the two terrorists had tried to kill his friend, he stepped on the back of the man, and he groaned and collapsed under the weight. Naruto inverted his blade and thrust it down into the base of the man's neck. He went still.

Broken from his entranced slaughter, Naruto looked up to see Ruby, still bound but sitting twisted in her restraints, staring incredulously at the swift dispatch her friend had just consummated. Though still in the glow of relief at the rescue, she could not comprehend what the blond boy had just done to protect her. She did not flinch when he approached her.

"Are you alright, Ruby?"

He knelt by her, and swiftly cut through the hemp rope binding and chafing her wrists. She nodded and offered a reflexive smile at his concerned expression. He offered her a hand and helped her to her feet. She accepted, and dusted herself off, removing the pebbles that head become embedded in her knees. Her smile brightened when Naruto reached behind him to produce the compacted form of Crescent Rose. She exuberantly accepted her weapon and looked at the boy to thank him for his timely rescue and return of her prized possession, when she caught sight of movement behind Naruto.

"Naruto! Look out!"

It was too late, the White Fang whom had first been beat into submission was now back on his feet and charging a thrust at Naruto's turned back. He was both faster than the others, and evidently tougher, as his katana whistled through the forcibly parted air. Ruby could do nothing but stand and watch. She couldn't even move to knock her friend out of the way before the strike skewered them both.

A dark blur. A line of blood accompanying the others on the ground. The man collapsed, but not before separating into two pieces. Behind him stood a smaller frame, dark, still, and collected.

"Took you long enough, bastard."

Sasuke huffed, and jerked his neck back to indicate the structures in the distance, from whence emerged the rest of their team, including Doctor Oobleck whom were jogging over to where they stood.

"I had to wait for the others."

Naruto nodded as he turned to face his partner, but a piercing whistle turned his gaze back to the gargantuan locomotive which had just broke free from its aged restraints and lurched forward in a stumbling roll. It seemed the reunion would have to wait for later.

"We have to stop that, Roman Torchwick is on it!"

Ruby voiced the consensus and the three of them took off for the nearest carriage. The three of them made it easily enough, and turned to see how faired the rest of their team. They had close a considerable distance, but they would be hard-pressed to make it in time.

"Ruby, you stay here and see that the others get on, Naruto and I will press on ahead to find Torchwick and stop this train."

Ruby turned to the younger boy, objection on her lips, but the two locked eyes with her, and she could not contest the order. Rather than delay the two from their self-appointed mission, she bit her lip and nodded giving them permission and promising that she would do as told as well. The two leapt to the top of the train in a single bound, and took off up its length with greater speed than could have been achieved had they tried to navigate the cabins.

Ruby silently wished them luck, and turned back to her friends still running toward the departing vehicle, waving them onward. Blake was the first to get close to the back of the train, and she threw her ribbon and wrapped it around the caboose's guardrail. Still jogging to keep up with the accelerating locomotive, she motioned for the others to grab on. They followed suit, and Ruby, kenning to their intent, grabbed on the ribbon's other end and they both gave a mighty tug at the same tame.

With her semblance fueling the effort, the ball of huntsman, huntresses, and one dog who had managed to tag along barreled into the rear of the train and through the door into the compartment. There they groaned and sorted out body parts, before dusting themselves off. Yang embraced her wayward sister and admonished her reckless behavior.

"This is very touching, but I think that we have a bigger problem than we realized."

Oobleck noted as he finished cleaning off his glasses, replacing them on his face and pointing behind the gaggle of girls to the contents of the caboose's compartment. Team RWBY turned and their eyes collectively widened as they saw that the compartment was filled to the brim with explosives.

"What are they planning on doing with all of this?"

Yang's question went unanswered as a sudden clank and resulting lurch made them all stumble. Not liking what this portended, they collectively made their way to the end of the cabin and opened the door to see the backside of the next car starting to retreat away from them.

"Everyone! Get to the next car!"

Speedily enough they were all able to leap over to the next platform without too much effort, but knew that they could not afford to linger if Torchwick was doing to start to detach the cars. Hazarding a glance behind them, they saw the caboose they had just been on quickly lose momentum and fall back far away from them, before it burst into a wave of sound and flame that hit them even at this distance.

They saw bricks from the tunnel come crashing down onto the tracks, followed by the shadowy forms of Grimm now raining down from the ceiling.

"Wait, where does this train go?"

"Nowhere now. But it was supposed to connect to the center of Vale- oh no."

Oh, no was right, and the implications of their enemy's actions entered their heads simultaneously. They knew they had to stop this train before it reached their hometown.

"Sasuke and Naruto already went ahead to stop Torchwick, we have to catch up to them."

Not waiting for any disagreement, the group all leapt up to the car's roof to follow their comrades. They could scarcely see the two forms getting even further away from them what seemed like miles of cars away. They became even more desperate to catch up to the two when another form jumped up from a flatbed car between them and their comrades. No-wait, that wasn't closer to them, it was just massive!

"Tch."

This monosyllabic expression of consternation summed up their attitudes towards their newest impediment. The first one they had encountered had proved troublesome, and this one looked to be an improvement. Plus, they were on a moving train, with little room to maneuver. This mecha would indeed prove a problem, but it was not their priority right now.

Pausing only briefly at the machine's sudden appearance, the two recommenced their aggression towards the front of the train, dodging the Paladin's attempts to squash them, and weaving their way between its legs. They had hardly gotten another car length down when a second Paladin leapt up from another flatbed car that had been transporting it.

Assuming the mantel of commando had its downsides, but Sasuke was more than prepared for something like this, so without hesitation he threw two kunai at the feet of the second Paladin that had blocked their way. The tags on the kunai detonated, causing hardly a scratch on the armored suit, but blowing a chunk of roof away from the car it was standing on. Its mechanical leg went through the roof and the behemoth lurched to the side, sinking into the train's interior.

Naruto reached it first leaping over its cockpit but otherwise ignoring it as if it were not more than a hurdle. Sasuke skidded to a stop however, and took out a further two kunai with tags. Naruto noticed that he had not heard his companion following him, and stopped to see what was the matter. Sasuke motioned him onward, displaying the tags in his grasp. Naruto look concerned, but confirmed the order none the less, and returned to his primary goal. He had confidence in his friend to take care of this problem.

Sasuke smirked as he shifted his gaze from his retreating comrade, to the oversized mecha struggling to right itself. He fingered the tags he held in his hand as his eyes roved the armor's frame. He found his target as the suit finally managed to remove itself from the car's roof, and return its focus to the gnat that had delayed it.

Sasuke rushed the armor, dodging its clumsy strikes and leaping up onto its cockpit. He saw the paper-thin line denoting an access panel, and using a kunai palmed in his left hand, pried it open and slapped the two tags on the interior electronics before leaping back off the humanoid machine.

It appraised the confusing actions of the miniscule opponent, and took a lumbering step towards the unflinching Sasuke before a jolt of electricity went through the electronic nervous system. The suit froze in mid stride and like a puppet with its string's cut, fell and flopped off the speeding car, crashing into the ground before bouncing and smashing into the tunnel wall in a cloud of metal and stone.

He would have to thank Naruto for the special tags later. He wouldn't thank Ironwood for the schematics on the machine. It was, after all, their fault the two had to deal with them in the first place. Sasuke turned to face the other Paladin as it finally reacquired its target, and had deployed twin Vulcan cannons from behind its shoulders.

It he survived, that was.

* * *

He would not survive, not if Naruto could help it. Torchwick had been too much of a pain for them for too long and he would end right here, right now. He leapt down from the ceiling to the floor of the engine, the two shocked White Fang engineers whirling around from stoking the boiler to face the surprising intrusion. One made to attack Naruto with the shovel he had been using immediately prior, but the metal of the tool was far inferior to Naruto's blade as he seamlessly cleaved the tool head, and then the man's head from the body.

Before he could deal with the other body standing between him and his goal, the other White Fang member turned on his heel and leapt off of the speeding engine with a cry, rather than face his certain demise. Both Torchwick and Naruto appraised the action incredulously.

Naruto was first to disregard that rather rash action he had just witnessed and turned back to direct the entirety of his malice towards the one that most deserved it. Before Torchwick could bring his cane up in defense of the lighting-fast thrust, Naruto's blade had already all but pierced him.

"Stop!"

And miraculously, Naruto did. The point of the blade poised menacingly a hairsbreadth away from the cowering man's nose, and he slowly cracked open his eyes to confirm the fact that he was indeed, still alive. A corner of his mouth twitched before he broke out in a full-on smile.

"Ha!" The man laughed incredulously at his own continued survival. "Ha, ha! It actually worked. So it's true, I thought that bitch was just throwing me under the train when she said that you were on our side. I couldn't even believe that it was a pipsqueak like you that managed to beat me last time!"

Naruto growled, gnashing his teeth, but stayed his hand. This was the moment when he needed absolute control over the situation. This was where he needed to display his fortitude and commitment to the mission. No matter how much he wanted to rip that condescending look off of the ginger man's face, he would hold off, for now.

"Don't push it, bastard."

This threat was punctuated by the already close blade twitching slightly and lightly grazing the man's cheek. A thin line of blood trickled down and disappeared into his now nervous smile.

"H-hey now, don't go doing anything foolish. I don't know what Cinder promised you, but I guarantee you won't get anything if kill me or stop the train now."

"Somehow…. I doubt that."

He lowered his blade none the less and took two steps back, never fully lowering his guard against the frightened villain. He might be ashamed if he ever had to admit that a mere teenager scared him, but looking into the boy's hate-filled eyes, Roman was sure that he could see his own death being played out in the slit that was now the boy's pupil. He took a few steps back himself, desperate to get some distance between them. It was then that he felt a breeze alight gently next to him. He leapt a little at the sudden intrusion and turned to face the newcomer. Naruto never wavered, nor dropped his guard, but watched on with his steely gaze.

"Well, about time you came."

He huffed out, more out of his own shame at not only being bested, but having to be extracted by yet another warrior a decade younger than himself. Nevertheless, he weathered her own icy gaze, far more frightened of her boss, and strangely enough the blond still attempting to choke him with his eyes. He wrapped his arm around her diminutive frame and with the other, tipped his hat at the blond.

"Well, my rides here, I'll see you later!"

And none too soon for either of them. The girl whom intelligence had illuminated to be called 'Neapolitan' raised her umbrella into the air, like she had done the last time they had encountered one another, although, this time she had not attempted to bisect him. She winked one of her mismatched eyes at him and was whisked away as light as a feather on the swiftly passing wind surrounding the engine. As he was born aloft, Torchwick shot a single finger in his direction.

"Stay!"

He watched them go, ignoring the self-pleasing chuckles as they were buried in the rushing wind, all the while tracking them like a hawk. His fist clenched around his sword started to ache, and he could feel the leather handle of his breaker start to protest under the stress of his clenched fist. One day, one day he would be able to wipe that smile off of that man's face. Whatever it was they were planning, he would stop it. He swore it.

Although, as the tension diminished, it felt like he was forgetting something…

* * *

What happened?

He had been unconscious. Had he pissed off Tsunade or Sakura? He hurt all over, so that was a possibility. He was lying down. Check that, he was lying face down, so he wasn't in a hospital bed. Tsunade would have brought him to the hospital, even if he had pissed her off, so that was out. He didn't remember having done anything to Sakura lately, but none of that explained why he was in such pain all over and lying face down in the street.

Oh, yeah. Now it was starting to come back. He wasn't in Konoha. He had't been for a while. A long while. He had been in Remnant. In Beacon. No, not quite, he had been on a mission…

The memory hit him like a hammer, and his instincts tried to lift him off the rubble-strewn palacade, but his body protested. He got as far as his elbows before he collapsed painfully once again on his face. He wanted nothing more right now, than to sleep. Sleep the rest of the day, the rest of his life away. But he couldn't rest, not when his friends might be in danger.

He had no idea from where he scrounged up the strength to stand, but if it had been at the behest of that bastard fox, he would have to thank the arrogant tailed-beast later. He needed to make sure everything was ok right now.

It wasn't. Amidst the steaming and smoldering remains of the locomotive, lying on its side like a gardener snake which had just been run over, lay the ruins of numerous structures that had collapsed, being felled from the galloping tons of steel that had burst through the ground just prior. He could see, but not yet hear people, civilians, staring incredulously at the horrifying wreckage, before they themselves succumbed to the same horror, and began fleeing in silent screams out of the mute flames and dumb clouds of vapor and soot.

Then he saw the Grimm.

Like zoo animals released from their cage for the first time, they stared at their new surroundings bemusedly, strangely innocent in their curiosity. In his dazed state, he almost reached out to pet the Beowulf that was sniffing him curiously. Its curious face looked even funnier reclined at this angle as he shifted his weight to his side to release his trapped arm. It didn't quite register to him when the monster opened its maw stuffed with razor sharp tooth-like protrusions to give the extended limb more than just a friendly lick.

He blinked, and suddenly the creature lay down with its mouth closed, as if to lay next to him and the gaping mouth it had displayed earlier was just a massive yawn. What strange behavior for a Grimm…

"-aruto!"

Huh? What was that again? His ears were now ringing as he began to become aware of the chaos around him.

"Naruto!"

Ah. Now he heard it. That was his name.

And then there was a face. Not his own, though. This was a girl. This was Ruby. Ruby- !

He once again jolted, causing himself considerable pain, but as he sat up, she was there with one arm cradling his back and shoulders. He groaned as he reached out for the shaft of Crescent Rose to steady himself.

"Are you alright, Naruto."

No. How on Earth are you alright? Surprisingly, the brief rest he had while reposed on the ground seemed to clear his head a bit, and as he was sitting up now, cognizance oozed back up into his periphery. He shook the pain and delusion off.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

She didn't look like she believed him.

"Trust me, I have had worse."

She still didn't look like she believed that, despite the complete lack of anything resembling jest in his weary expression. But she had little choice in the matter as he pushed himself with great effort off of the stony ground and attempted to get himself into a vertical position. It was harder than it looked, but he managed to bear silently through the pain as he righted himself. He stood shakily under the steadying hand of Ruby as he shook the last cobwebs from his mind and the black curtain retreated from his vision.

Ruby was hesitant to let him go, and so kept an arm out to catch him should he suddenly fall. But Naruto proved his resilience and stubbornness and held steady. After he collected himself, he looked around to collect data on the battlefield.

And it was, a battlefield.

He scores of Grimm erupting from the wreckage in a seemingly endless stream. It was a blur of Beowulfs, Boarbatusks, Deathstalkers and others of every size, and in the background he could already see Blake, Weiss and Yang engaged with the twisting double helix of a King Taijitu. Help had already arrived in the form of team JNPR as well as the much needed manpower of Sun and Neptune, but even this battery of firepower seemed to be pushed to its limits. He could see the fatigue falling off of their faces like buckets of sweat, this was not a spar, nor even a survival exercise. This was a battle against extinction.

He caught movement close to him out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Ruby professing his shield and sword, gifting it to him as she had not long ago, but with a slightly apologetic smile on her face. The message was clear.

"I'm just returning the favor." She offered.

Naruto nodded and solemnly accepted his armaments. Replacing them where they once again felt part and parcel of his body, and he turned back to face the torrent of destruction. It was almost unfair. For the Grimm, that is. He had a lot of pent up frustration right now, and he needed to get rid of it.

"Kage-bushin no Jutsu!"

And the promenade was covered in a sea of ruby-tinged green.

He planted his sword in the cracked ground, panting heavily as he supported himself on its rigidity. It was the only thing keeping him upright. Salty sweat stung his eyes as he gazed at his own reflection in the midnight blade, turned iridescent in the setting sun. He could see the fatuige on his face, looking so foreign, so defeated. But they had won, hadn't they?

It was hard to tell. The destruction, though concentrated around them and the entry of the explosive-packed train we near complete. Rubble of all kinds littered the clearing, bigger blocks supporting equally tired Huntsmen and Huntresses, all but collapsing under their own weight.

Coco sighed as she looked at the remains of what was once an upscale department store, one that she had enjoyed shopping at on occasion. She retracted her Gatling gun into its case, now bone dry of ammunition, despite having shown up only for the second half of the onslaught. Enough to lay waste to the handful of Grimm not swept away by the tide of blond. She looked at said blond now, kneeling in his spent state. Yet even at his weakest, she couldn't help but admire him, and his strength. He was truly something else.

They both were.

She glanced back to Sasuke, who sat on a block of some building now lost to its constituent pieces, eyes closed and palms nestled on the bird-wing hilt of his sword. He was trying to look at peace, but there was no hiding the slightly furrowed brow denoting his own impulsion to exceed his limits. He had all but danced between the Grimm as he slaughtered them, shifting seamlessly whenever it suited him, from waltz to acrobatics, only pausing when his internal score seemed to call for it.

Who were these two? Were they even human.

She heard a choking sound and turned back to the blond boy, who had his head raised to look at something beyond his sword, and he had stopped breathing. She looked at the unassuming pile of rubble in front of him, bathed in a curtain of yellow and orange, but carpeted in red.

A hand stuck out from underneath the rubble. A bouquet of blood splayed like wings around the elbow. It was the hand of a girl, probably not yet into her teens.

Not even the will of his sword could hold the boy aloft, and he collapsed in sobbing heap. His cries interrupted by uncontrollable hiccups, gasps for air and reprieve that wouldn't come. She silently approached him as he feebly struck the stone ground with his already bruised and bloody fists. He attacked it, the earth, the dirt, god, anything within reach with everything he had. He smashed his forehead repeatedly into the ground as Coco knelt and wrapped her arms around the inconsolable boy and he gave up then. Gave in to his choking sobs with the last of his energy.

The others looked at each other. Looked at the ground, themselves, anything but Naruto. They knew how he felt, or rather, didn't. They had won, but it felt like a loss. Ruby was the only one to reach out with her eyes to her distraught friend. Yang gave her sister a half-hug as she cradled her own bleeding fist close to her chest.

That was the real problem, wasn't it? They were all too human.


	18. Letter to Castro

"Go RWBY!"

Amazingly, she could here this one well-wisher above all others, above the roar of the crowd ambiguous in allegiance, but united in determination to enjoy watching these young adults beat each other senseless, in the name of skill, pride, and honor for their respective academies. Others might suffocate under the pressure of thousands of spectators, hundreds of thousands if you counted the ones watching the whole thing live from their home television screens, or crowded like sardines around their scrolls, mouths agape and eyes glued wide open. But Ruby, full of that youthful confidence had no such trepidations.

"Kick their butts!"

Plus, she knew that not only could she count on the three young women actively engaged in the four on four fight next to her, but extremely vocal support attending her and her team in the wings. With all her friends looking out for her, how could they lose?

The truncated internal monologue was enough to distract the young warrior from the matter at hand, as she narrowly dodged the pointy end of the dart wielded by her opposing team's captain. She stumbled back a half step, but was set upon again by the other woman, her long yellow sleeve billowing around the fist that passed centimeters above her head as she ducked swiftly under the strike.

The dart, so expertly controlled by the older girl that it seemed to be acting autonomously, swung back in a sharp arc to intercept her once again, hoping to catch her off guard. She smirked, hearing the whistle of air parting behind her. Fat chance.

Her stomach moved away from the impending blow, the spike passing between her and the haft of her weapon. Pulling Crescent Rose back to her enter of mass, she bent the trajectory of the dart, sending it back to its owner, who though shocked at this sudden turn, was not struck by her own weapon as she too lithely dodged out of its path.

Ruby was not done, however. Crescent Rose went end over end as it knotted around the thin metal cable. It was not nearly as daunting as the razor-thin ninja wire she had been dealing with recently, and it was more than sturdy enough to hold up to what she wanted to pull off. And pull she did, with a strength that greatly belied her girlish frame, she pulled the slightly larger woman towards her. Caught in mid dodge, Arslan let out a surprised yelp as she went flying towards the younger girl.

She caught Ruby's confident smile-cum-smirk a she sailed towards the black-clad huntress.

"Night, night."

These last words she heard as her face became intimate with the handle of Crescent Rose.

* * *

"Hmph. Not bad."

Sasuke offered this subdued praise as his companion proceeded to leap up onto the arms of his seat, shouting his head off and waving two homunculi foam hands like a lunatic above his head, putting the overjoyed cheers from team JNPR to shame. And shaming him, in the process. So, rather than indulge his idiot friend in his exuberance, he sought to put a swift end to what was already turning out to be an annoying display. His elbow shot out and knocked Naruto's foot off the armrest and out from underneath him. He flailed like a chicken trying to jump a fence, and for a moment, incredibly, managed to stay aloft, before the delayed effects of physics finished their spoof and sent the boy tumbling past Sasuke, as the boy stood up to avoid the yellow and blue rockslide.

Arms still crossed, he caught Ruby searching the crowd for them, and met her gaze even as she smiled and waved. She was not going to receive a reciprocal response from the stoic boy, but had not anticipated it either. She was graced instead with contented smirk of approval, high praise from the young man who even now hid his expressions under razor wire.

And from the floor next to Sasuke, she received a slightly dinged and damaged, but still bright yellow thumbs up.

* * *

"…And then I did that thing that you showed me with the wire, and she was all like, 'huh?' and then I went 'POW!'…."

"We know, Ruby, we were there."

The girl, cut off in her exaggerated account of the events not an hour hence looked a little put out by the interruption, and a little chagrinned at the veracity of the statement. She poked her index fingers together in a pensively distracting manner.

"….I know, but it was still cool…"

"It was totally cool, Ruby! We kicked their ass!" Yang responded to her sister's whispered comment, and slung a now healed hand over her shoulder. "And hey! That reminds me, you guys said you would buy us all lunch if we won our match!" She directed this to their two tagalongs, much to the ire of one.

Sasuke twitched in irritation. "I never agreed to anything, Naruto was the one who promised that." His protest fell on deaf ears, however, as the collective, Naruto included, warmed up to the idea of fulfilling noodle lunch on the house. Oh well, if he couldn't get Naruto to pay for the meal, he would just take the money from him later.

The meandered through the crowded cacophony that had set itself up on the academy grounds for the occasion of the Vytal festival. It was not as crowded as it would be in a few hours, but there were still too many people for Sasuke, so he was anxious as everyone else to get to the noodle stand. He did catch Weiss glance down at her phone after it gave a muffled ring. She made a face of distaste Sasuke was intimately familiar with before silencing the offending device and shoving back down into her bag.

"Hey you guys! That was a nice match!"

The girls greeted their 'fellow' student warmly, but both Sasuke and Naruto were immediately on guard around the verdant-haired girl as she appeared form around the corner, their individual discomforts momentarily forgotten.

"Hey Emerald! You guys did pretty well yesterday too, so I guess you are moving on as well."

Emerald gave a practiced smile at the supposition, one so close to the real deal that it made Naruto shiver. "Yeah, Mercury and I are going to be in the doubles match. What about you guys? Who are you going to pick?"

Ruby looked more than ready to speak up, but was cut short by Weiss who silenced her with a sharp wave. "We have decided as a **team** , that Yang and I will move on to the doubles round." Ruby looked none too pleased with this decision, even though they had indeed agreed on this course many days ago. It was bad enough that it seemed her teammates were unsupportive of her in this matter, but even Sasuke and Naruto had agreed that it was most likely the prudent decision in this case.

"Hey, that's great! Anyway, Mercury and I have some things to do, he promised to help me find a gift for my little sister, so we will have to get going." Mercury paled a little at this prospect, unsure if it was just a ploy to get them away, or if she did indeed intend to punish him by forcing him to go shopping. "We'll look forward to seeing you guys in the finals." Emerald shifted her predatory gaze to the two boys, hanging back a safe distance from the display. "I am especially looking forward to fighting you two."

"Hmph. We haven't even gotten past the first round. What makes you think we can win against four opponents?" Sasuke questioned the green-haired girl, implicitly challenging her to reveal that she might know more than what she let on. It was a pointless game in his eyes. They each knew that the other had a hidden agenda, and keeping the whole ordeal secret from the rest of the students, including team RWBY was becoming harder and harder. It was dangerous game Ozpin was playing, and it was starting to grate on their nerves. The sooner they could be rid of these two, the better.

Emerald's Cheshire smile sent shivers down his spine. "Oh, somehow I think you two will do just fine."

"Thanks for the bout of confidence." Sasuke walked past team RWBY and got even with Emerald, his fists clenched in his pockets, but more than ready to intercept anything she could potentially throw. "But I believe we have agreed to buy these ladies lunch, so if you'll excuse us…"

Emerald gave a smirk that would give Sasuke a run for his money, shifting her weight and sticking a hand to her hip, undaunted by the tension the boy was emitting. It was by no means a trivial accomplishment, but she had faced death before. Compared to that, this was nothing. She turned her attention to his blond teammate, meeting his own hardened gaze, and resisted the urge to shudder. It was so unlike the boy to be so deathly serious, and it seemed to convey a gravity that even the dark one could not match. Still, she didn't show what effect it had on her.

She winked to the blond boy, throwing him off guard. "Well then, I guess I'll see you later." And with that final fleer she sauntered off, a confused and wary Mercury in tow.

The rest of them looked back to the blond boy, still staring confusedly at the space once occupied by the light-handed woman.

"Ok, what was that?"

* * *

Naruto grumbled into his noodles. Not even the heavenly taste of his ramen, a batch that was certainly on par with Ichiraku's brew, could fully distract him from the fact that he had been the butt of the collective joke for the past half-hour. Even Sasuke seemed to brighten, well as much as the boy could, at the fact that his teammate was at the mercy of all four members of team RWBY.

"Oh come one, guys, give Naruto a break. I mean, I think it is really nice that he seems to have attracted an older woman." Yang lectured as the rest of the team could only hold their snickers in behind their hands as they stood to lose their massive lunch if they could not hold it in. "Well, I mean I guess it makes sense now why you always hang out with us, I didn't know you felt that way, I guess we should be flattered!"

If he could drown in the miniscule amount of broth left in his bowl, he might have done so. Never mind the fact that the woman in question was perhaps one of the most dangerous opponents they had yet to encounter in this world, he could not enlighten the rest of them to this information, and so was stuck here wallowing in his blush that was threatening to become a permanent part of his complexion. He shot a surreptitious glare at his partner who just shrugged nonchalantly. This more than made up for whatever he would end up paying for their meal.

"Although," Yang continued, unable to wind up this tasty thread. "It is kind of a shame, after all, I thought you and Ruby looked pretty good together." All humor in the situation disappeared for the raven-haired girl, as her cheeks turned the same shade as the tips of her tresses, and if possible, Weiss's and Blake's bottled up snickers got even louder. As for Naruto, his misery turned into outright pain as he considered how sharp he would have to get his chopsticks before they could be impaled through his head. Not that sharp, it turned out, but he would have to push pretty hard.

Once again, fate made Jaune the improbable hero as he and team JNPR showed up to alleviate the two younger teens from their tortuous position.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

Before Yang could escalate the joke to a new level, Sasuke decided to take a small amount of pity on his friend and greeted the newly arrived team.

"Hey. We're just enjoying a little lunch, curtesy of the idiot over here." Sasuke jerked his thumb, indicating the still mortified and potentially suicidal Naruto, who now turned absolutely murderous towards his teammate. Sasuke once again toned him out, as the rest of team JNPR brightened at the idea of a free lunch, even if they might have to fight after lunch.

Deciding that this fate was far more preferable than continued merriment as his personal expense, he conceded with a bowed head. He smirked behind his velvet scarf, unbeknown to the others.

"Fine, fine, I'll treat you guys to a meal. Here you go:" Naruto held up a pale white card to the shopkeeper, who seemed strangely familiar to certain parties.

Suddenly cut off from her reveries, Weiss caught sight of the card before it vanished behind the curtain and felt her heart skip a beat in recognition.

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

But it was too late, as the store owner had already disappeared to the back section, where the card reader was presumably housed. Weiss was left speechless at the blatant theft of her card, much more upset at the idea that Naruto had managed to nick the card from her without her notice, rather than having to pay for both her teammates and team JNPR's lunch, which would admittedly just be a small drop in the bucket. She was almost jubilant when the card was thrown out of the back with the velocity of a shuriken, and imbedded itself lightly into Naruto's headband, knocking the poor boy off his perch.

He quickly picked himself off of the ground and almost threw himself over the counter at the old man, who resolutely stood there, brandishing his card reader which very clearly read, in bright red Lincoln-log numerals 'insufficient funds'. Naruto stared incredulously at this message, at first not appearing to comprehend the message being conveyed by the digital words. He gave into his poor luck for that day with slumped shoulders and dug out his faithful wallet which had incredibly survived dimension-hopping with him. Though the money he had saved from his plethora of D-rank missions was no longer legal tender in this world, they had been give some spending money from Ozpin for 'incidentals'.

Incidentally, he was going to have to have a talk with his teammate for throwing him under the bus in this occasion.

Weiss, meanwhile had left her own stool and rounded the counter to pick up her card off the forest floor. She stared at it, as if it somehow might possible not really be her card, or rather her father's card. But sure enough, she saw her name in raised gold lettering on the translucent plastic back, tabbed just to the side, as if mocking her, of a larger font proclaiming it as property of the Schnee Dust Company.

What was going on?

* * *

Naruto had his patent shit-eating grin plastered on his face, and for once, Sasuke could share the sentiment. This fight should prove even more interesting than the one previous, where their other classmates got to see Jaune's improvement for the first time. The boy had displayed remarkable skill, unexpected even to his teammates, who had not been fighting with the blond nearly as much as they would have liked. But his own innate leadership ability had not atrophied in his continuous training with the two shinobi either, and he flawlessly lead his team to victory over opponents which were at a fundamental advantage in the terrain.

But that was then, and that was team JNPR. This was now, and now it was their turn. They stood on the now bare stadium floor, garbed in the new threads bestowed upon then after their previous vestiges had been rendered unusable after the amount of blood and damage they received those few days ago, and the subsequent stress they had accumulated with their renewed training regime, including the apprehensive members of team RWBY, who had deemed it prudent after their last mission, to improve drastically, so that something similar might not happen again.

Or rather, to be ready for when it would happen.

So, they stood side by side in similar but contrasting garments, ones based much more closely on their homeland's traditional wear. Loose kimono tops tucked into hakama, themselves secured around the calves by armored Kyahan. Sasuke had topped his autumn-themed ensemble with a crimson haori, and likewise Naruto had had his finished off curtesy of Coco, who had draped a navy-blue Happi coat over his shoulders. He could not bear to part with the scarf Velvet had given him, however, and was thankful that it had survived the worst of their combat thus far. He breathed in the fruity scent of whatever laundry soap Coco had used to rid it of the metallic smell of blood and lingering sulfur.

They felt, and thought themselves formidable, especially when juxtaposed with their opponents, wearing a mish-mosh of designs that looked more at home in a Calvin Klein catalog, rather than a battlefield. Although, the pirate coat was a nice touch, in Naruto's opinion, and he had to hand it to Sun's teammate.

The other blond looked almost as excited as Naruto did, and his exuberance infectiously spread to his teammates, who were not in the least intimidated by the two shinobi who were a good head shorter than most of them, though the gap had narrowed, even in the short time that Sun had known the two.

"I say! This is a highly unusual match, and if it manages to last more than a few seconds, should prove to be most riveting!" Oobleck's rapid oration was barely translated by the electronic mike system, as he set the tone for the match, more to his own and Professor Port's benefit, than that of the crowd. Having witnessed the boys briefly in combat himself, he was eager to see just how well they would fair against four huntsmen in training.

"Indeed, it shall be! I am sure that our two talented students shall show their fellow huntsmen from Haven the true power of their youth!"

Port's declaration sent shivers down the spines of the two ninja waiting out in the arena, which their opposition took to be in regard to their own intimidating appearance.

"Don't worry mini-me, we won't beat you too badly."

"Sorry Sun, but I don't think we can say the same." Naruto's predatory grin seemed to grow a fraction more as he shrugged off the previous nausea.

"Big words, little man, but I don't think you can back them up. There are four of us, and two of you. And you two count as what? One-half? Two-thirds of a person at most?"

Naruto and Sasuke took the verbal stab at their stature in stride, opting to end the pre-game banter. Time would show soon enough who were the more skilled.

The holographic projections surrounding the stadium suddenly began to flicker and cycle through pictorial representations of landscape at a blur punctuated with a minute tick that slowed in time with the oscillation of the images. The three panels behind the students from Haven stopped on a beachfront, while the two shinobi made note of the one at their own backs which had settled on a desert scape. And, sure enough, in a procession that was familiar to both of them, mountains of sand started to consolidate into toothy peaks behind them. It was not the best terrain for either of them, however, it seemed that one of their opponents was more than disheartened in this change of fortune.

Sasuke made note of Neptune's horrified expression upon realizing that his back was to the miniature sea which began to coagulate behind the team from Haven. This might make things too easy.

The panels gained numerals superimposed on the scenery, counting down from '5'. As the numbers ticked away, team Sun unhurriedly prepared themselves, unfurling their weapons and shifting their stances to be ready for whatever surprises the two boys might throw their way. However, it did not seem that any attack from them might be immediately forthcoming, the two standing stock still as they were with no change in the air of confidence that they exuded.

Team SSSN tensed as the last number disappeared and the unmistakable bell sounded as there was a sudden burst of movement to their flank.

Which turned out to be Neptune, who had high-tailed it to a position far up on a plateau of one of shear mountains behind the still unflinching students from Beacon.

"Umm, Neptune? What are you doing over there?" Sun questioned his wanderlust teammate.

Neptune offered a small chuckle and a weak excuse in response.

"Uh, well, you know, I am, uh, securing the high ground?"

A reply that would seem legitimate enough, had it not been phrased as a question. Sun and his other teammates stared highly quizzically at their friend who had separated himself during the first half-second of the match, but during the second half second, they were forced to abandon all extraneous thoughts as their opponents suddenly descended upon them.

A viscous cloud expanded and occupied the entire other half of the arena not covered by the newly born terrain, thoroughly obscuring team SSSN's view of the two young warriors. They did not wait long for their reappearance, as like arrows through the mist scores of identical blue-clad missiles shot out at the wary team from Haven. It was one thing to hear about the boy's supposed ability, it was quite another to witness it first hand on such a scale. And while Sun himself was less shocked by this opening move, he had neglected to tell his fellow teammates about his counterpart's technique, and so both Sun's left and right flank balked at their current position.

Never forgoing his bravado, Sun immediately reacted to the first wave of blond ballistae, intercepting three separate attacks with the three mobile sections of his staff. Like the monkey of his namesake, he weaved and jabbed like a jack and summarily dispelled the copies with a seamless flick of his wrist. Seeing his comrades still more or less petrified at the veritable army of blond warriors, he hazarded a glance back to stir them to action.

"Come on! It doesn't matter how many there are if they are all still weak!"

Having received this verbal stab in the backside, his two teammates soon joined Sun in the slaughter of blond clones. The dark-skinned Sage easily cutting down two Narutos with a single swing of his massive sword, and Scarlet fired a quick double tap from his flintlocks, shooting from the hip into the broadside of a blond phalanx, gaining more than a couple puffs of smoke for his efforts.

Reassured by the relative ease with which they were culling the number of relatively weak blond opponents, the three members of team SSSN soon fell into an almost monotonous pattern of defense and attack, earning steady ground against the diminishing horde. Sun's previous statement was true, it did not seem to matter how many of them there were, as the attacks directed by the blond were highly telegraphed and no faster than any of the team could safely counter. Still, the constant pace of the battle could not last forever, and they were still separated from their fourth member.

Neptune cursed at the voluminous cloud which effectively cut off his line of sight to his team, and from the sound of it, the center of fighting. He swept the barrel of his transformed weapon back and forth, scanning the cloud and tilting at every slight gap revealing the shadow of a target which may or may not have been one of his teammates.

"Damn it! How am I supposed to see anything in this mess?"

Neptune shouted out in exasperation as he lowered his rifle and appraised the full scenic vista of the gray, vapor-covered arena.

"You're not."

Neptune paled at a voice not belonging to either him nor his teammates prickling the hairs on the back of his neck.

"Damn it! How many copies can mini-me produce?"

Sun shouted in frustration as he managed to dispel another two of the aforementioned copies with a swift twirl of his staff, cutting one off at the knees and scoring a shattering body blow to another that had been about to affect a vertical slice at him from above. This constant and repetitive defense that they had been placed in since the beginning of the match was starting to not only wear on his nerves, but wear him out physically as well. He was begging to breath heavily, and the oppressive smoke was not helping in the slightest.

Which was odd, as it seemed to have been produced by the younger man's technique, at first at least. But it had yet to dissipate from the battlefield, even though the cloud produced from the act of defeating the copies only added the most minute of amounts. Either he was manufacturing a constant production of identical soldiers in a steady rhythm, keeping the level of obscurity at a set level, or there was something else at play here.

The latter theory began to look more plausible, as suddenly Sun found himself without another contact. The blond's clones had left him alone in the misty cloud which had now unnervingly fell silent. Come to think of it, he couldn't even hear the rest of his team, nor, as he glanced around twitching, could he see his friends behind the thick wall of vapor.

Sun spun on his heel as a cry pierced through the mist and another blue mass barreled through into his sight. He had to react quickly to avoid lashing out at the sudden intruder, as he recognized the more massive form of his teammate, Neptune as he tumbled into Sun, nearly succeeding in knocking the older blond off his feet. Luckilly, Sun was able to arrest his momentum, but was forced to drop his staff in favor of catching the tumbling Neptune with both his arms.

He gave a slight wheeze and grunt as his friend came to a halt in his arms. Looking down at his teammate in concern Sun tried to question him on what had transpired, only to receive a nonsensical flow of words from the dazed blue-haired young man. Sun sighed in exasperation, clearly, he was not going to get anything useful out of him.

"Now, where on earth did mini-me and his friend go?"

"Hmm, closer than you think."

"Huh?"

Sun glanced down to his friend, still in his arms who had clearly recovered faster than he had expected. He only caught the faintest trace of a vulpine grin, so out of place on Neptune's visage before his friend delivered a viscous headbutt that sent sun reeling back in shock and pain. He landed on his rear, now as dazed as Neptune had portended to be when the mist had spit him out.

He sat there counting the Nevermore circling around his lolling noggin, until he was able to shake off the pesky vultures from the fringes of his vision. He was greeted to a sight of a lone Naruto, uncaringly hefting his staff after he had plucked it from the arena floor.

"Wow! This thing is heavier than it looks!"

Despite his words, he was still twirling it as if it were a baton and weighing at as if he were judging a ripe fruit. Suddenly incensed at the casual way his acquaintance was toying with his weapon, Sun regained the vindication he had drummed up at the begging of the match.

"Hey! Give that back!"

Naruto turned to him, as if noticing his presence for the first time before he smiled a cheeky grin and turned tail to disappear into the mist.

"Catch me if you can!"

Dutifully, and with no small amount of irritation, Sun followed on his tail.

Back to back, Scarlet and Sage curiously relaxed as the tide of blond seemed to recede. They slowly eased themselves from their defensive positions, which they had been forced to adopt after the prolonged combat had worn on their stamina. The looked around warily, keen to pick up on any sign of renewed combat, but the arena surrounding them was eerily quiet, and with this added piece of information, they realized their captain was nowhere to be found.

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I. Where's Sun and Neptune?"

A cry and a thud answered one of the two, as Neptune fell from the obscured heavens to rest a few meters away from his high-strung teammates. They both leapt to his aid as he lay spread eagle on the tile ground. Scarlet helped his comrade to a sitting position while Sage guarded the two warily.

"Neptune, man, what happened?"

The last they had seen of him, he had been well away from the battlefield, safely ensconced in his crow's-nest in the hills. Now here he was, clearly dazed and at the moment, no more useful than dead weight to them. He was muttering something about a dark shadow, and thousands of years of pain, all of which was undecipherable to the two onlookers.

"Get back here!"

They both whirled around to face their blond captain as he flung out of the cloud, a sidekick aimed at a fleeing target that neither of his teammates could see, but one that was now about to intercept them as they guarded the downed Neptune. Sage quickly stepped in front of the human projectile and braced the flat end of his sword, protecting the three of them from their fourth. Sun's kick was deferred with a grunt of effort, and the blond man flipped back a pace to see what he had hit.

"Huh? Sage, Scarlet? Is that you?"

"Duh, who else do you think it would be, you dumb blond!"

Sage shot back at their team leader to whom they had almost become victims of friendly fire. It was then that the blond spotted the still dazed Neptune still being steadied in Scarlet's arms, and he pointed accusingly at the unwitting boy.

"Get back! He's an imposter! It's really Naruto!"

Both Scarlet and Sage looked at their team leader as if he had sprouted another head. They had known the young man to concoct some pretty crazy ideas in his rattled mind on a fairly constant basis, but this hair-brained idea was a step too unbelievable even for them, and it rather irked the two as the flamboyant blond impressed this upon them in the middle of a battle.

"Sun, what are you talking about? This is Neptune. Your friend? Teammate? Ring any bells?"

Sun recoiled in abject horror as another thought entered his mind.

"Wait! How do I know that you guys are really who you say you are?"

A pin very well could have been heard above the silence that was left as a response to this incredulous question. His two teammates wondered very much weather the captain was mentally unfit for his current station. Still, they had to calm him down if they were to acquire his further cooperation.

"Sun, it's us. Sage, Scarlet and Neptune. Are you ok? What happened back there to get these crazy ideas into your head?"

Sun was himself still on guard as he appraised the wary, but concerned looks of his teammates. After a few beats he seemed to acknowledge their honesty and relaxed partially, massaging the back of his head, trying to clear it of any cobwebs that might have set up nest in there after inhaling more and more of this oppressive mist.

Seriously, what was with this weird weather? Wasn't there supposed to be a beach and mountains around here?

"Sorry guys," Sun shook his head in dismay at his own display. "I don't know what came over me, I just swore that I ran into Neptune earlier and then he attacked me, and he turned out to be Naruto. Man, I must have hit my head at some point."

Both of his teammates could agree to the likeliness of this possibility, but were glad that their friend seemed to have regained his senses.

"No worries, we're glad to have you back." Something then occurred to Sage, who had now noticed the more than bedraggled state of their team leader. "By the way, Sun, where is your staff?"

Sun blinked and appraised the two of his team, who looked back at him equally confused.

"Here it is!"

And with that proclamation, and before any of them could react, the object in question planted itself in the face of Scarlet, who still on his knees attending the dazed Neptune had no space with which to dodge the blunted projectile. Following the vortex carved by the staff out of the mist, Naruto shot out in perfect succession, a deadly thrust aimed at the second teammate standing over Neptune. Sage barely had time to block the smaller blade with his own wall of steel as he twisted to intercept it. Even still, he heaved with the effort and slid back unwillingly at the force conveyed behind the thrust, which was on par with, if not more forceful than the one he had just intercepted from their team leader.

Sage struggled against the impulse conveyed by the smaller boy, suddenly many times stronger than any of the previous bows had been. Was this the strength of the original blond, or had he been holding back the entire time?

Sage had little time to contemplate this, as Naruto followed his own thrust into his sword with both of his feet kicking out at the flat edge of the massive blade, causing the older boy to stumble back slightly and loose his footing.

"Sage!"

Sun made to intervene on his friend's behalf, but another shadow materialized from the mist and he back peddled to avoid a strike that threatened to remove his nose had he not changed direction in time. The red and brown clad Uchiha made his appearance for the first time since the match had started, and seemed in no hurry to end it as he almost lazily swung wide strikes at Sun, who was none the less forced to dodge with extreme prejudice. He cursed as the razor-edged blade nicked his shirt sleeve. He could do nothing but dodge without his weapon, and even with Aura, getting hit by the edge of that blade was doubtless to sting.

Sage was faring little better as the blue bumblebee buzzed all around his clumsy swings, lashing out with his stinger at the smallest of holes that the older boy left open with his wide strikes. He needed to change the tide of the battle, fast. Unconvinced that the smaller boy could match his physical strength, Sage decided to use this one obvious advantage to its fullest extent. He planted his rear foot back a half step, and squared up his stance, blocking a low strike before he began his counter attack.

He lashed out at the small blond with such ferocity that he himself did not know he possessed. He was getting desperate, and adrenaline was taking over. He was already worn out from the first half of the battle, and could not conceive how this tiny teen could continue as if not even winded in the slightest. Naruto was put on the defensive as the massive blade sliced through the air all around him. He blocked and deflected the unwieldy mass with his own blade and shield, dodging only slightly to let the redirected edge to go sailing past or over him. Despite the effort with which the hefty blade was swung, the younger boy seemed unperturbed by the changing tide of their duel, despite the fact that he was slowly but surely being pushed back.

Sun was putting all of his acrobatic skills to use in this instance, dodging and weaving the blade as it danced around him like a ribbon. He leapt back, forward, changed direction, passed through the razor web being woven around him, anything to stave off the inevitable, at least long enough that he could reach his staff, which lay abandoned on the ground next to the dazed Scarlet and Neptune.

His chance appeared in a divine clearing of the clouds. In fact, the mist did seem to be parting as a light shone on his solitary weapon. He made one final leap for it, and as his fingers grazed the resin-coated bamboo he felt the strings tightening around his gut loosen slightly, and he solidified his grip as he turned to face the charging Sasuke, who still seemed not to mind that Sun had been given access to his weapon. Sun would make him regret toying with him, and with the righteous feeling of retribution coursing through his veins, he swung his staff at the raven-haired boy who was standing still, which Sun took to be a reaction of shock.

Sasuke almost seemed to welcome the blow with open arms, and Sun in his excited state was all too eager to oblige. The blow never landed, though, as Sasuke's foot shot out and knocked the bamboo rod into the air, Sasuke's body following his foot up and over. Sun then realized that they had been lead back to where Naruto was battling Sage, and now the blond boy had heaved Sasuke over his shoulders, swinging the other boy like a bludgeon, effectively batting away Sun's staff, and now hurling him at the still charging Sage.

Sage had no room to stop his attack as his target ducked unusually low, only for a brown-clad leg to shoot out and plant itself on his forehead. He was rudely knocked back and stumbled on his feet for a few paces. In this convenient lapse of time, his previous opponent took the opportunity to slide under his teammate/ weapon and land another kick to Sage's midsection which sent him a good distance into the air.

But his pain was not to be concluded so soon, and Naruto lifted himself off of the ground with his arms for a mule kick which only furthered Sage's altitude. He felt the wind leave him, and he could neither breath nor think, which was probably just as well, as Sasuke darted forward once again, leapfrogging off of his teammates outstretched legs, and delivering a spin-kick that would have no doubt left him in excruciating pain had he not been immediately knocked unconscious, and then unceremoniously thrown out of the ring and impacted like an unfortunate bird on the transparent barrier.

Scarlet by this time had just managed to stumble to his feet, patting his sides to see that his pistols were indeed still secure. He looked up just in time to see the widening oblong shape that was Naruto's breaker being propelled at high velocity by a stream of compressed air. If possible, his paler complexion became even paler the moments before impact and he could see his dumbfounded expression reflected in the turtle-shell finish.

"Headshot!"

Dr. Ookbleck watched the limp body of Scarlet be hurled out of the ring to land like a rag doll next to his teammate's, before he turned to his fellow commentator. He glared unamused at professor Port for the outburst, who only offered a shrug in reply.

"Well, it was."

Sun gripped his bo-staff tighter as he watched two of his teammates be dispatched with casual ease, and traced their trajectories out of the ring. He looked up then to the hovering panels displaying their individual statistics, which had become visible after the mist had steadily diminished since they began being taken out one by one. He was the only one left on his team with any Aura whatsoever. Neptune was thoroughly in the red already, and so had been effectively useless since the match had started, only serving as a distraction for the two young fighters.

Naruto was busy admiring the coat left behind by his teammate as he made his forced egress form the Arena. He was clutching it by its scarlet epaulettes and regaling himself with the intricate brocade.

"Jeeze, for a team that seems to avoid wearing clothes this really is a nice jacket!"

Sasuke sighed at his partner's assessment of the garment. It would just be his luck if Naruto suddenly decided that he wanted to look like a pirate.

"You're not keeping it."

Sun watched the idle chat between the two as if he wasn't even there, as if he was not still a threat. Which, admittedly, he probably wasn't.

Though Sun himself still had plenty of stamina left, and had absorbed only a handful of hits since the match had started, he now faced the two boys regarding him from the opposite side of the arena, the center of which they had not left the entire time. It was then that whatever since of hubris or confidence that had propped him up since the match began, dropped out from underneath him leaving him stranded and all alone. He realized for the first time just outclassed they had been, from the very beginning. Sun and his teammates had been cocky, and for good reason. But now it was evident even to him just how futile it was to continue. He had been beaten, and though it hurt, he had pride enough to admit when it was pointless.

"I yield."

Sun smiled as he raised his hand to forfeit the match, much to the surprise of many in the crowd who did not know how to react to the declaration at first. Thankfully, the last display that could be observed by the crowd had wetted their apatite enough for the moment, and they were still hyped up enough on their own vicarious adrenaline that they let out a roaring cheer for the two underdogs.

Had their friends expected them to gloat, they would have been disappointed, as Sasuke stoically stowed his blade, acknowledging the older boy without a hint of derision. And Naruto, the one they had most thought would like to bask in the now widespread acknowledgment, seemed almost ignorant of the crowd's approval as he sent his fellow blond a subdued smile.

* * *

"Huh, those kids are pretty good after all."

The barkeep glanced at the boxy television set suspended above the counter as he idly polished a shot glass. He glanced at the bar's only patron, waiting for some kind of response form the scruffy inebriant. The man just issued a derisive scoff and swirled the liquid in his glass before downing the burning contents.

"They aren't that good. Too showy. They would never make it in the real world."

The bar tender frowned at this attitude, which the man had propounded since he staggered in several hours ago. He would have complained that the man was scaring away the other customers, had there been any others. It was still much too early in the day for the usual barflies to meander in and drown their sorrows. He couldn't help but wonder what sort of answers this stranger was hoping to find in the bottom of his glass.

"You don't seem to be impressed by any of the teams. Tell me, what are you here for, if not for the matches?"

Without looking form the bottom of his now empty drink, the man held up two crooked fingers.

"One."

He indicated over his shoulder at the stark white battleship sailing breezily in the blue skies out of the window. He then pursued his finger best as possible, dragging himself off the stool after the appendage, strewing a pocketful of loose bills and coins on the bar, to cover his extensive tab. The bartender frowned, but made no move to collect the coins rolling off onto the floor. He just watched the ruffled drunk stagger his way towards the glass door. He called after the dark-haired man, realizing that he had left without answering his question.

"And two?"

The man paused in front of the glass, staring at his own crimson eyes looking back at him in the pale reflection, and the weariness worming it way much too early onto his youthful visage. He made no move, nor sound as he seemed to contemplate the answer.

He held up the second forgotten digit, making no move to turn around and face the bar tender.

"Two: I have to see a wizard and see just what the hell kind of brew he is cooking up that stinks to high heaven."

* * *

"I must say, that was pretty interesting match, even for you two."

The rest of team RWBY agreed with Weiss's surprising praise as the six of them wandered their way back to the Academy from the floating arena, which hung there like a hideous parody of their own shattered moon, its stubby cylindrical surface bristling with folds and jetties where the crowd would embark and disembark on the unhurriedly bussing aircraft waiting for them. Lurking like sharks waiting for a wounded whale to give up the ghost, spectral silhouettes of Atlas's battleships floated just on the edge of view on the horizon.

One seemed to be breaking off from the flying school and heading towards the academy, and it was with this realization that the white-clad girl stopped in her tracks, following the flight path of the craft which, as it approached them, they could clearly see was trailing blue and white banners on both its horizontal and vertical stabilizers, harkening the heraldry of a bygone era.

Naruto nearly ran into the girl who had inexplicably stopped and was staring at this singular approaching craft. The other members of their herd flowed around this blockage and congregated around their distracted teammate.

"What's up, Weiss?"

"She's here."

With this enigmatic declaration, Weiss broke free from the prying eyes of her friends and started to jog to where the arctic whale was promising to land on the undulating grass. Naruto and Sasuke both looked around to the girl's other teammates, who unfortunately seemed just as mystified by her behavior as they were. Deciding that they were to get no answers from probing one another, they made their way to where Weiss now awaited the descending ramp in anticipation.

Sasuke could have groaned as he recognized the look of adoration that now adorned the girl's visage as the group approached the uncaring young woman. He sincerely hoped that it would not be some kind of pretty-boy that emerged from the almost imperial looking craft. Even if it was, he was counting himself especially lucky that it was not him. So far, his luck had held out in this universe, and the women did not seem to cling to him as possessively as they had. Or it could have just been the fact that he was hanging around more mature women as of late.

He watched as Ruby popped up and around Weiss, who continued to ignore her, despite Ruby's attempts to gain her attention through waves, pokes and what appeared to be an airhorn.

So, scratch that last part, he amended.

What descended the ramp was decidedly **not** a pretty boy in any sense of the word. In fact, it seemed to be a carbon copy of Weiss, or rather, a whine plucked from the same grapes, but one of decidedly more well-aged vintage. The familiar arrogance which must exist in all the Schnee family was here conveyed as a womanly assertion, a confidence in both her own capability and inherent power of her beauty.

Sasuke decided immediately he did not like her.

"Winter."

Weiss uttered this greeting dripping with enough adoration that Sasuke was worried he might contract diabetes from the sickly-sweet tone with which their white-haired companioned imbued this single word. The older Schnee, for it was inherently obvious that the two were somehow related by blood, seemed not to notice the sycophant inflection in Weiss's greeting, and favored the girl with a kindly smile.

"Weiss."

Then, true to her name, winter fell with vengeance and fruit turned rotten on the vine.

"I watched your match… it was shameful."

All previous adoration and illusion held aloft by the girl's will were swept away by this cold gust, and she deflated under the piercing gaze of her relative.

"Your swordsmanship can barely be described as 'adequate', and what was that technique-if it could be called that- you used against that pink-haired girly-boy? You looked like a brawler!"

Weiss bit her lips to refrain from denying what was undoubtedly a very true statement. Team RWBY had been spending more and more time with the two boys and Jaune during their training sessions, and while certainly the extreme workout had paid off, they had all to some extent absorbed some of the boys' styles of fighting. Much to her own embarrassment, she had annexed the blond-boy's propensity to throw out a random strike with her fist, especially in moments of frustration when her own sword technique failed her. These times seemed to be occurring with disturbing frequency lately, especially spending time against the boy's teammate, who, for having picked the weapon up not a half a year ago, was handily surpassing her, not only in speed and strength, but in prowess of technique. Despite having a bastardized amalgamation of whatever he could glean from Jaune's family's books, and whatever prior sword knowledge he had absorbed in passing.

Said boy watched this verbal undressing with no amount of ire, and his partner stood next to him with his own barely contained fury. Despite the fact that he and Weiss almost never found themselves on the same side of an issue, and in fact, butted heads more often than not, he could not stand to see one of the people he considered a friend, no matter how tentatively, be so thoroughly condemned. In fact, Sasuke noticed as he glanced around, the boy was perhaps even more upset at Weiss's treatment than her own teammates, who seemed perturbed, but contented to keep this in the family. He better do something before-

"Who the hell do you think you are, talking to her like that?"

Story of his life, too little, too late.

The older Schnee turned to address the blond, regarding him as if he were some sor of offensive creature, a toad that she would hesitate to crush only because it would ruin her shoes.

"And just who do you think you are? Weiss is my sister, and I will talk to her however I wish."

"Naruto! Don't talk to Winter like that!"

Despite coming to her defense, Weiss resented the audacious and brash tone the blond had used on her sister. She had been expecting him to understand that this was a matter between siblings, and not something to be interfered with. Although, had she paused to consider, she might have realized that she was out of place in her admonishment of the boy, who, after all, had no idea how typical siblings interacted, citing Yang and Ruby as the sole examples.

The latter two, might have been offended to hear this train of thought, as both of them were none too comfortable with the family dynamic on display at the moment.

"Weiss! You shouldn't let her talk bad about you like that. You fought great in your match, and I personally know that you are strong fighter, anyone who says otherwise doesn't deserve your respect!"

Naruto's conviction was formidable but failed to sway the familiar Schnee, who was content to turn a blind eye to her kin's behavior. Rather than engage the blond further, which she knew to be a futile endeavor through many irritating encounters, she chose to try and diffuse the situation by doing the one thing above all else she knew would irk the young man.

She ignored him.

"Anyway, Winter, what are you doing h-"

"I'll have you know-" Her sister, however, did not know when to let sleeping dogs lie when it came to the young man, and ignored her sister in favor of rectifying the outlook of this uncivilized youth. She pushed past Weiss in order to confront Naruto who refused to give an inch, arms crossed and feet planted firmly in place awaiting her approach.

"I'll have you know that I am much more skilled than my little sister, and she does well to respect my judgment. In fact, I taught her everything that she knows. She will always be one step behind me, and you-" She punctuated this remark by jabbing a finger at the blond, who looked about ready to snap and bite it off at the stub. "you don't even register. I saw your fight as well, and I was even less impressed than the pitiful display put on by my sister. You spent the entire match with your tail between your legs, hiding behind that smoke screen because you don't have enough skill to fight toe-to-toe with someone who actually knows what they are doing."

The situation was rapidly escalating and team RWBY looked ready to jump in should it come to that, but Sasuke was far more adept at restraining his blond teammate, and quickly moved in to arbitrate the confrontation before it came to blows. He forced an arm between the two of them, although it mainly served to push Winter back, as Naruto had not moved a muscle under the entire diatribe.

"Look, let's just calm down, I think we got off on the wrong foot here, so let's just take a little breather."

Always the voice of reason when it came to the blond hothead, Sasuke interjected his body between the two, more to shield the woman from any possible retaliation than his teammate.

In response to this intrusion, Winter just scoffed and turned up her nose at the two.

"It figures. Hide behind your handler, mongrel. He's at least is smart enough to know when his master is talking."

Sasuke tensed and narrowed his eyes at the barb aimed at his own competence, but did not otherwise indulge the woman by showing that it had any effect. He did notice his friend's grip tighten considerably behind him, the leather of his fingerless gloves groaning under the strain. This was worrisome, if things continued in this trend, he wasn't sure if he could restrain the headstrong boy from doing anything he might regret.

"Honestly, I don't know how you can stand to be around this pack of mutts, I mean, that black haired one seems competent enough, but I still cannot believe you turned down a place in Atlas to come here, to surround yourself with such uncouth company. If they are any indication of the company you keep, I am not surprised your skills have gotten rusty."

Whether or not Sasuke was inserting himself between him and the trying woman, Naruto was not sure how much more of it he could take before he took some kind of action. She was straying onto dangerous territory here, if she said anything outright against his friends, then he sure as hell would not be responsible for his actions.

A gentle and warm hand rested on his shoulders and quenched the fire that had been building inside him. He glanced back to see a concerned Ruby, worry etched into her face resonating from both the harsh words directed towards her friends, and in regards to the emotional turmoil Naruto himself was busy broiling in. With that simple gesture beauty soothed the savage beast, and like a tranquilizer had just taken effect, Naruto was able to wrangle himself down to a more halcyon state.

Winter did not even dignify her accuser with a smirk of victory, sloughing off his directed malice and turning instead to resume her chat with her sister uninterrupted, which, sadly was not to be.

"What's with all the canine analogies Winter? If anyone here can be compared to an animal, it's you, obedient dog of Atlas's military."

Any sort of satisfaction that she might have gleaned from her conceded victory over the blond nuisance, and any attempt to pick up where she left off with her sister immediately melted off of her face as she recognized the voice and turned to face its owner.

"You…"

The man, standing shakily across the courtyard took another swig from his silver flask before capping it and wiping the remainder that did not make it down his throat off of his lips with the back of his hand and leveled his crimson eyes to meet the daggers being shot at him by Winter Schnee.

"Me."

"What are **you** doing here?"

The man cocked his head slightly, as if judging whether or not he had been asked an actual question, before he scratched the top of his short-cut black hair cogitating on the answer.

"Well, I am here because Ozpin asked for me. The question is: what are you doing here? Last time I checked, it wasn't the duty of Atlas's soldiers to hassle a bunch of kids. Then again, maybe you are just looking for a fight that you can actually win."

Winter scoffed at the inebriated man's suggestion.

"Please, do you really think that such a feeble attempt to goad me into a fight will really work? I wouldn't even stoop so low as to beat you. It would be easier to beat you right now than it would this foolish little boy."

She flicked a dismissive finger in Naruto's direction at this last bit, and a little bit of serenity that he had achieved went along with it, but he held his ground, waiting to see how the situation would play out with the arrival of yet another stranger. Ruby, meanwhile, had turned to face the newcomer and immediately brightened as if the animosity that was choking the air was little more obnoxious than burned toast.

"Uncle Qrow!"

Naruto turned back to face his friend, surprise taking the vacated place of irritation.

"Wait, Qrow? As in Qrow Branwen? He is your uncle?"

The girl nodded ecstatically, but before she could rush off to great her blood relation, she was stopped by Sasuke who had moved around to face her at the mention of the man's identity. He and Naruto shared a glance at one another, silently conveying some sort of missive to which Ruby could not even fathom as to what it contained.

The proclamation made by Winter did little to deter Qrow, who seemed hell bent on provocation.

"Hmph. The little punk might be some challenge for you, maybe, but I can guarantee you even if I was blind stinking drunk, which I am not! I would still have no trouble taking care of Atlas dog. So why don't you just go run home to General Ironwood, and I am sure he'll give you a niiiiice treat."

The smoldering embers that remained from her verbal bout with Naruto caught a second wind as fresh kindling was thrown on top. She had already been one stick away from boiling over before, and this last straw was enough to do it. Bypassing her sister and her assembled and shocked friends, Winter drew her sword with a movement that was barely followed by the gawking spectators. Propelled by glyphs solidifying behind her and her righteous fury, she flew at the unsteady man.

A rueful smirk of satisfaction on his face was ignored by the furious woman. So too, was the fact that his flask had long since disappeared, along with most of the telltale signs of inebriation, and Qrow had already drawn a hand back to the handle jutting out just above his shoulder. She saw these signs, but in her myopic charge she either failed to account for them, or purposefully ignored their presence, the cocktail of confidence and anger loosening her carefully honed inhibitions. She was becoming drunk on a brew of her own bile.

Like alcohol, what now coursed through her veins removed all restraints from her ego, and clouded all of her forethought and insight. It was not out of the realm of possibility that it was also physically affecting her senses. For she noted another anomaly as she charged her adversary, a blurring distortion of the air ahead of her, between herself and her target, a giant lens slipping between the two of them. And accompanying that shift in the spectrum was no voice asking her whether this novel image, A, was better or worse than the previous, B. Instead an internal bloating applied pressure on her eardrums, muting her oratory senses.

All of this was but a mild side-note in her instinct-driven charge. In the totality of time elapsed between the moment when her sword first left its hold to when it would be housed in his already ruined liver, a fraction of a second, it wouldn't even be noticed.

Thus, it became a surrealistic dream sequence when within a meter of her blow striking true, she found her arm jerked upward and her sword sailing along with it. The ophthalmologist who had first shifted the faulty lens into position, now inserted a caricature of the blond boy between her and Qrow, a small, auburn shield proffered out in her direction, and a look of elevated seriousness that in some other circumstance might have looked funny to the military officer, but in this situation was worse than a hangover.

It was in the fractions of seconds that followed that reality caught up with the woman's charge, and sound and sight came with it in a loud crack as the inverted bubble of air popped. Winter blinked herself awake as the last wisps of fractured nitrogen settled in the courtyard, toying the strands of her hair in their waning frolic.

Qrow was less mystified at the unexpected outcome, and rather more intrigued. Not nearly as drunk as he had professed to be, he had enough sense to stay his hand lest he hit the unintended target which had arrived in a most timely fashion to get himself killed. Though rather annoyed at having his fun eschewed by the blond's arrival, the newest conundrum that this kid presented would prove to be more than ample entertainment for the duration of his stay.

"Qrow Branwen?"

The image of the blond boy spoke, still never altering its fixated stare directed at Winter.

"Hmm?"

Having already confirmed his identity via Ruby, Naruto needn't have asked the question, but it served to redirect the man's focus from the odd interruption to his afternoon's entertainment, to the matter which the blond wished now to attend to. Naruto nodded, more to himself than to either of the adults still not quite sure what to make of the interloper. He glanced over his shoulder to look the man in his eyes.

"We are supposed to escort you directly to Ozpin upon your arrival."

This statement was far more surprising to Ruby's uncle than whatever semblance had allowed the blond youth to transport himself the distance from where he previously stood among the man's niece to within their potential ring circle faster than either of the duelists could track. He reiterated Winter's incredulous blink, as some critical blocks began to be rearranged in his mind's labyrinth.

Naruto now fully turned his back on the becalmed woman to face his acclaimed charge.

"Could you follow us, please?"

Neither of the two adults gave any indication of resistance as Naruto guided the scraggly and dumbstruck man towards the towering office which eagerly awaited them. Silently and without missing a beat, Sasuke took up on their egress, hands in his pockets as uncaringly as he could manage, as if his friend had not just teleported himself in betwixt a potential clash of titans. And in reigning silence, they shrunk from the view of the equally stunned spectators until they were mere toys against the backdrop of the plastic castle.

Ridding herself of the REM-like state they all somehow found themselves in, Ruby looked back and forth between the spot where her uncle used to be, to the equally motionless Weiss and her anger-prone sister.

"Is anyone going to explain what just happened?"

* * *

"So, are you going to explain what you are doing here, Qrow?"

The six of them were ensconced in Ozpin's office held aloft in the afternoon squall that had rolled in over their heads. Naruto and Sasuke stood at ease behind the previously addressed man, who was taking a liberal gulp from his omnipresent flask in front of the awaiting Ozpin, who for once seemed a little bit annoyed at having the answer to his question delayed. The mood was overall one step less tense than the situation that had unfolded minutes ago out on the quad, but was distributed more or less evenly throughout the room's occupants.

General Ironwood being the exception. Already more than chagrinned at having to curtly dismiss one of his most loyal subordinates in favor of holding conference with this obnoxious and currently slovenly drunk old crow. In fact, he had not been having a good time in general since arriving in Vale a few months ago. Every one of his endeavors seemed to be going awry in one way or another.

The incident with the Paladin had merely set the tone for what was to be a suite of poor chance and malicious conniving. It was quickly revealed that the isolated incident was in fact endemic, and there were far more leaks in his military structure than he would have liked. His old friend kept trying to assure him that it was far better that they had discovered the breach now, rather than when it was too late.

In his opinion, however, the damage to both his careful planning and his reputation had already been done. Even his pet project had been contaminated, according to their newest 'informants', Penny had been socializing with some of Ozpin's student body, and an especially troublesome group at that. He chanced a furtive aside to the two enigmatic young warriors who were silently appraising the man with whom they were charged to deliver directly to Ozpin. The blond one in particular seemed especially skeptical that this disheveled individual in front of them was in fact one of their strongest assets.

Ironwood scoffed to himself, for even he had a hard time accepting the notion. He could not have guessed what the two youths' actual opinion of the man was.

Qrow had meanwhile finished his tot, concluding the swig with a lazily mitigated burp, which only served to further the ire of the awaiting audience. At last he capped his beverage and spirited it away for the time being.

"Don't I at least get a hello first?" Ozpin did not humor the man, and he looked around to see I anyone else would indulge him. He gave up his pursuit when Sasuke shot him an especially withering glare that clearly did not tolerate further delay.

"Fine. You would think that I would at least get a 'thank you' for letting you guys know that our sworn enemy has infiltrated the Vytal festival In fact, they have taken up residence in this very school." Qrow let the bold statement hang there in eager anticipation of the outcry that it would produce.

"We already know."

Qrow blinked owlishly at the admittance.

"You do?"

Ozpin nodded, clearly not in any kind of mood to jest. Qrow shot a glance to his old adversary, but the General could only avert his eyes in controlled shame, his hands clenched even tighter around his back. Qrow moved on to Glynda, who stood like a gargoyle behind Ozpin, but she too would not meet his gaze. Testing Doyle's theory on the improbable, he glanced behind him to the two young huntsmen in training who had remained politely quiet throughout the entire inquiry. They alone met his gaze.

Turning back to Ozpin, he pointed a finger over his shoulder at the two boys stationed near the door. Ozpin nodded in affirmation, and it became the crow's turn to up the ante.

"Just what the hell kind of game are you playing at, Ozzy?"

Qrow had always trusted the man's judgment, but in this case, he was going to need some pretty convincing argument in support of these two newcomers. He was more than a little miffed that Ozpin had not dismissed them at the start of the meeting, but if they were in fact the source of the information, it only made sense. Still, the fact remained that he had been involved since the very beginning of their venture, and he was suddenly being sidelined by two kids barely in to their teens.

"Naruto and Sasuke have proven invaluable assets to us, in our time of need."

The two boys remained stoic at the offhanded praise, but Qrow huffed derisively and crossed his arms, aiming to confront his long-time idol in what he viewed to be his first major lapse in judgment.

"And just how do you know you can trust them?"

If this distrust was in any way offensive to the two, they did nothing to show it. They had in fact expected as much, since they too were still trying to cement the bond of confidence with the majority of people in the room.

Ozpin gave a small but cheeky smile.

"I would say that you just vetted them, didn't you?"

Despite the man's previous aloof attitude, he was no longer in the mood for games, and this play on his previously vital information was not amusing in the least. Deciding to restrain the room as the added levity threatened to tip the balance, Ozpin restored gravity to the conversation.

"We can trust the both of them."

Ozpin looked past Qrow and met the vacant blue eyes of the blond shinobi.

"I trust them with my life."

Naruto flinched at this statement, and struggled to hold the man's gaze. Qrow himself still did not fully accept this as an answer, but saw that he was not going to get any further elaboration right now, for whatever reason and so decided to be the bigger man in the room and move on.

"So, what now then? We're going to leave Vale's security to kids and jarheads?"

His inflammatory statement failed to gain any further ire from the people to whom it was directed and would have been on the receiving end of either Glynda's or Ozpin's scolding, but expediency favored to ignore it. Instead, Ozpin looked over to his other longtime friend standing at the right of the room.

"In fact, we have already discussed this matter, and General Ironwood has agreed with us that having a strong military presence might not be the most prudent course of action at this juncture."

"So that's it then? I came all this way for absolutely nothing? You are just going to toss me aside now that I am no use to you?"

Ozpin frowned at this over-assumption and aimed to dispel any dissolutions the man may have been formulating around his current status in their favor.

"Make no mistake Qrow, we are all very glad you are here, we are going to need as much help as possible if we are to come out of this alive. Naruto and Sasuke have proven to be valuable assets that I have not accounted for at the beginning of all this, and while their presence has made certain things less critical, it has by no means substituted your part in what is about to unfold. In fact, I may have even more use of you now, more than ever."

Qrow quirked a single eyebrow in consideration of Ozpin's declaration.

"Oh?"

"Mm. I wish I could elaborate further, but this contingency has just occurred to me in the last 24 hours, and I need a little more time to think things through. In the meantime, why don't you give yourself a small break and visit your nieces? I understand that you did not get a very good chance to say hello to them before."

Qrow sighed, he could tell when he was being dismissed. Although he would have liked to get much more of a chance to talk to Ozpin in private, he supposed it would just have to wait for a while. If all that was revealed to him was true, then perhaps they did indeed have more time than he had estimated. He intended to use that time to catch up with his two favorite nieces, as per the man's suggestion. Still, he shot a wary glance back at the two attending infiltrators, no more trusting of them now than ever before.

The raven-haired teen shrugged off his scrutiny with a cool dismissal, but the blond opted to meet his stare eye for eye. Seeing no winner nor point to the staring contest, Qrow broke the match off with a huff, turned and made his way to the black double doors of the elevator, his sunken eyes catching the emanating green light in their hollows.

He passed between the two and reached for the call button, but before he could enter the fluorescent white car as the doors parted for him with a hiss, he heard the blond kid call out to him.

"Qrow."

He stopped and wearily favored the kid with the benefit of the doubt, acknowledging his address.

"Hm?"

"I know you have no reason to trust me."

No shit kid.

"And frankly, I don't trust you very much either. But-"

Qrow saw the hollow blue voids boot up and fill with a nuclear determination radiating like a dying star and could not help but be slightly humbled by what he was witnessing.

"Ruby respects you. You are one of her precious people, and I want you to know that no matter how I feel about you, or how I feel about this world," Qrow queried the odd turn of phrase inserted at this instance "I swear, I would give up my life to protect her."

It was immutable fact.

Qrow entered the elevator, offering no other response than his caped back.

"Sure you would, kid."

* * *

"Hey!"

Mercury burst into the dorm room gasping for the breath that he had outrun on the way there. It was a curse to have body parts that could outlast his own body. After taking a few gulps of much needed oxygen/nitrogen mix, he lifted himself up to address the awaiting audience in the small room.

"Qrow….is….here…"

Cinder smiled regarding a child that had just solved a rudimentary addition problem.

"We know."

"But-!"

Cinder held up her scroll which was already in the middle of recounting the incident that just transpired not a kilometer away from where they now sat. The blue-haired teen caught his breath as he watched the miniature Qrow and Winter Schnee accost one another. He then saw the part at which he had run out, where the blond boy that had recently become a key hinge in their plan suddenly appeared in a ripple of displaced air between the two, knocking away the impending blow and stopping the fight before it began.

"But, what if he recognizes us?"

Mercury protested, but the elder woman seemed not to be concerned by this potential problem. Instead, she flicked the now concluded episode out of the way to reveal a much less interesting view of a barren hallway. Barren, that was until their three silhouettes sauntered down its length.

"Don't worry, Mercury, they are only going to see what I want them to see."

Drawing an invisible circle around their images in the tiny screen with her index finger, Cinder seemed to just lasso their depictions and with a flick of her wrist, they were whisked away off the screen. This revelation seemed to placate Mercury, as he sighed heavily and hobbled over to his bed where he collapsed.

Emerald tuned out once again and went back to flipping through her magazine, not really paying attention to its contents either. Cinder moved back to her previous position, regarding again the fresh reel set to the point where the blond miraculously blurred into view faster than the video camera, posted far away on the Academy's wall could register.

'The question is now, what am I seeing?'

Cinder posed this question to herself, playfully batting around the problem in her mind like a cat would a ball of yarn. Her tongue wetted her feral grin as she tasted all of the potential held within their newest recruit to the cause. She had certainly gotten more than she had bargained for.


	19. God-Like

Once again the two shinobi found themselves lost in the raucous sea of cheering voices floating high above the city of Vale. Ensconced in the participant's box, along with the remainder of team CFVY, they dutifully cheered on Coco and her teammate Yatsuhashi as they took on Emerald and Mercury in the doubles round of the tournament. Well, Naruto had once again absorbed the duty of cheering for the both of them, and Sasuke opted to pay closer attention to the details of the match.

The two combatants, supposedly from Haven were whatever else, very much a potential threat to the two of them. Not only if they had to compete against them later in the tournament, however likely that might turn out to be, but both Naruto and Sasuke had been made more than aware that these two were complicit in Cinder Fall's machinations.

So while both were assured of both Coco and her teammate's competence after seeing them in combat the day the Grimm breeched the wall from Mountain Glenn, the two ninja were wary of whatever tricks the two infiltrators might have up their sleeves.

Still, wariness was not evident on the blonds face as he cupped his hands round his whiskered mouth and shouted out words of support to his friends down below.

"Go Coco! Kick their ass!"

Sasuke just rolled his eyes at his partner's aloof behavior.

"Um, Naruto, I don't think that you need to yell any more, I am sure Coco and Yatsuhashi know that we are rooting for them."

Velvet politely interjected between Naruto's outbursts and Sasuke glanced idly to his left past the blond at the company they had recently acquired. Being the odd men out, so to speak, the two members of team CFVY who did not get selected to participate in the doubles round had opted to join the two boys who would have otherwise been by themselves. Team JNPR had occupied the row just underneath their own, and it seemed that the members of team RWBY had decided that they had more important things to do than cheer the duo on at the moment. Which, given the abrupt return of several blood relatives in the past 24 hours, was understandable.

But for the two shinobi watching, and hopefully not for the two actually having to fight at the moment, it was potentially a matter of life and death.

And like so many life and death situations, the match started, and would be decided within a split second. Coco, despite valuing a flair for the dramatic, wasted no time in deploying her Gatling gun and unleashing a fusillade of dust bullets from the six rotating barrels. The concentrated volley of fire sent their opponents scampering into the woods which had appeared to provide a minutia of cover not a minute prior.

The copse of trees was set alight wherever her rounds struck, and a rain of severed leaves fell onto the arena floor in a false autumn. Her teammate meanwhile waited in eager anticipation for the eventual lull in the firefight where he might get a chance to intercept any counterattack at close range. He got his chance as Coco's firing diminished in a series of clicks as she released the powered feed of ammunition into the spinning barrels. A shroud of sulfuric haze billowed out from the scalding hot barrels as Coco retreated behind her teammate and they both tensed for the reprisals that were sure to come.

The silence after the cacophony of fire made them acutely aware of the ringing in their own ears, but also of the fact that they couldn't hear a single sound escaping the besieged forestry. Both glanced up at the screens which showed very clearly showed no change to any of their statistics. Therefore they could only conclude that their enemy was biding their time, luring them in to a trap.

Having no other choice, the two tacitly agreed to spring whatever sabotage awaited them on the other side of the field. Hugging one another tightly, they cautiously approached the woods. It was only when they treaded upon the first shadows cast by the artificially generated foliage that either of them caught the slightest hint that anyone was indeed left alive after the previous barrage. Coco swung the hulk of her weapon to the left as she caught a glimpse of pale movement among the darkness.

But the imminent threat came from the right, as Mercury descended upon Yatsuhashi with an axe kick weighted by his descent from the canopy. The larger boy was easily able to shrug off the potentially crippling blow using his naganata before hastily thrusting to counter. The commotion to her right caused Coco to alter her crosshairs to the apparent target, but stayed her finger with a curse as Mercury doggedly kept Yatsuhashi within an arm's length, making it impossible for her to single him out as a target.

Her attention was yanked back to the depths of the forest before she could contemplate any further action to aid her ally, as a semi-automatic fire wove like needles through the trunks making a beeline for her position. Throwing herself behind the nearest solid wooden barricade, she judged the passing shots for their probable origin and awaited her chance.

A half beat more passed after the green bolt whizzed past her shelter, and she spun low onto one knee and unleashed another compressed volley of fire at the direction the shots had emanated from. She cut her fire short when it was obvious the target had fled after they had fired the last round. She cursed to herself once again, and even began to sweat a little when she realized that the other two had managed to handily separate her and her teammate into the labyrinth of leaves.

"Not good."

"Hmm?"

Naruto glanced at his teammate as he coldly assessed the situation down below, more to himself than the inadvertent spectator, though. Seeing he was not going to get further elaboration from the fixated boy next to him, Naruto turned back to what he could see of the match after Coco and her partner disappeared into the foliage. He came to more or less the same conclusion after a few seconds of rumination, having confidence in their two friends did not mean that they had indeed managed to maneuver themselves into a hard position to defend.

Ever the strategical planner, Sasuke was not just concerned for the sake of the two presently fighting, but for the fact that they up in the stands were now also rendered blind to the action that was unfolding down below. And there was little they could do from the position they were in without alerting the suspicions of their fellow classmates that there was anything more than friendly concern for the two senior students down below.

The four pairs of eyes glanced upwards to the floating projections when the bars under the mugshot of Yatsuhashi dropped perilously into the red. Deciding that this event had upped the ante, Sasuke decided to take a gamble in order to see what kind of cards their enemies were holding. He was not going to blatantly show his hand to the others, though, he preferred to keep his own abilities as much a secret as possible for the time being.

"Naruto."

Said boy once again peeled his attention away from the frustrating lack of action down below to regard the boy next to him. Without looking at Naruto, Sasuke issued his command.

"I need a distraction."

It took a half-beat before Naruto realized what it was Sasuke had intended, and hesitantly turned to his left as he formulated a strategy for implementing his tasked duty. Meanwhile, Sasuke closed his eyes momentarily as he went through the familiar procedure of diverting a tendril of chakra from his core to his pupils. It had been a while since he had done this, for one reason or another, and with the slight stinging that came from lack of use came the confident and warm feeling as the chakra twisted the genetic cogs ingrained into his DNA. When he hazarded opening his eyes, they were no longer the hawkish obsidian, but a swirling clockwork of tomoe.

"Um, hey, Velvet?"

Naruto shifted in his seat to face the girl he was addressing, causing both her, and Fox's attention to be diverted to him, but at the same time blocking off their view of his teammate and his unaccustomed reconnaissance behind him.

"Yes, what is it Naruto?"

Naruto floundered briefly, his usual dilemma of selecting the apposite sequence of words used to address the opposite sex further compounded by the spontaneous need and admitted respect he held towards the older woman.

"Um, I never got a chance to thank you for the scarf you gave me." Naruto tugged the silken garment omnipresent these days around his neck for emphasis. "I'm really glad that I didn't get it too dirty last time, and that whatever Coco used to clean it managed to get out the stains." The scarf had indeed not lost its luster in the slightest, and now even expelled a floral effervescence that both calmed him and evoked a nostalgia that he associated with the fragrance his pink-haired teammate used to wear.

"Umm… it-it's no problem, Naruto." Velvet blushed at the non-sequitur of praise. While used to the typical expressiveness of her female teammate, she was still not used to receiving praise form the opposite gender, her own male teammates being almost as notoriously stoic as Naruto's own.

Naruto regarded the strange, yet familiar reaction this female exhibited to his gratitude. Her stammering blush was oddly reminiscent of someone he used to know, but the curling rabbit ears added another dimension to this odd reaction. As ignorant as ever to the non-subtleties of the female psyche, Naruto became slightly worried that the normally reclusive woman was feeling under the weather.

"Are you alright, Velvet? You look a little red, do you have a fever or something?"

Although he knew that he had no way to properly judge the fitness of Faunus physiology, supposing that it must be analogous to that of humans, Naruto began to invade the mortified woman's personal space to inspect her pupils, to see if they were dilated. He placed a gentle palm onto her further reddening forehead to assess her temperature.

"Hmmm, you do feel a bit warm."

The was too much for the poor woman who, despite the current difference in their age was thoroughly unused to being touched so intimately, and her rabbit instincts took over, urging her to squirm away from the uncomfortable situation.

"KYAAA!"

She let out a shrill cry as she curled in upon herself, and in the process of doing so, brought her forehead into contact with the hovering face of the concerned boy, who was already shifted precariously in front of the desperate Velvet and sent him tumbling head over heels into the entirety of team JNPR below.

"Aaaaahhh!"

"What the-"

"Hey Naruto!"

"Um, Naruto, do you think you could please remove your hand from there?"

Admirably ignoring the chaos his teammate had precipitated to his immediate left, Sasuke concentrated all of his focus on the proceedings down below. He could see a great deal more with his Sharingan activated, but still struggled to comprehend what exactly it was that he was observing.

He could see between the shifting of the leaves, to the forest floor below. Saw Coco in her slow carousel trying to locate the still furtive enemy. He saw the enemy, in fact, prowling through the branches much like either of the two shinobi might have done. But between the gaps in his enhanced sight, he saw something that greatly confused him. It was a distortion, no an absence, there on the forest floor. Apparently Coco had noticed it too, but what exactly was it?

The Sharingan should have been capable of seeing through any illusion, at least that he knew of. It came to him in an icy wind running up his spine, the fact that this was an illusion previously unknown to the shinobi world. Though it was not a genjutsu as they knew it, his Sharingan could apparently still penetrate its gossamer layers. But aside from that, he had no idea what this illusion consisted of, for it was obvious that was indeed what he was looking at, as Coco's brilliant bullets passed through the spectral projection. While he himself could see through it, he did not know whether it could be broken by any of the usual means, which spelled a difficult time for anyone else he might have been fighting alongside.

Lost in his troubled thoughts, he almost missed the end of the match, for it happened quite swiftly, for whatever reason Coco seemed to drop her guard at the illusion, and she was summarily taken out by Emerald in a precise attack at the unaware woman. Thourohgly shaken at this new information, and the way with which one of the older students was rendered defenseless, Sasuke deactivated his enhanced view of the battlefield so that he might concentrate on the skipping record whirling around in his mind.

A cough drew his aggravated attention to his side, where the blond boy, now with more than a few scrapes and a fresh layer of bandages wrapped around his proboscis glared at him heatedly. The silent implication that whatever it was Sasuke had done during his daring sacrifice had best have been worth it. The unusually unnerved stoicism that Sasuke sent back in response was more than enough of an answer.

* * *

"Regardless, it **is** good to see you again, Weiss."

Winter offered her sister an unusually tender smile as she returned her filigreed porcelain teacup to its saucer held aloft above the white laced tablecloth, etched with floral decorations of light and shadow projected from the trellised grapevine encapsulating the two of them. She set the cup and saucer down on the stark tablecloth which must have cost almost as much as the cruiser her sister had rode in on the day before. The steady hand made only the barest tinkling of cracking ice in a glass as it was left on the table, and Winter returned her hands to fold themselves informally on the table in front of her.

"I **am** sorry that or reunion yesterday started off on such a sore note."

Weiss could not help but agree with that assessment as her face made a slight grimace tasting something especially bitter.

"It is so good to see my little sister again after so long. So, tell me, how are you liking it here? How are your teammates?"

She need not have specified that she was referring only to Weiss's immediate associates, her position on the two youngest huntsmen in training having been made expressly evident after Weiss had run into her sister after she had been unceremoniously dismissed from Ozpin's office and was cursing up a storm as she steamed down the hallway scaring none too few junior, and even some more senior students.

"They are fine."

Weiss gave this non-specific response, not wishing to give her sister any ammunition with which to criticize her friends, or her for that matter. She loved her sister, really she did, but sometimes she could be a little bit berating.

As if reading her younger sibling's thoughts, Winter's empathy slid into her usual mode of lecture, assuming the role of Weiss's mother, long since out of the family picture.

"Hmm, maybe they are fine, but really, for a Schnee fine isn't good enough. I still do not know what you chose to attend Beacon, aside from getting out from father's thumb. You could have done much better under Atlas tutelage."

It may have been true, but then again, it may not have been. Either way, Weiss was content with her decision not only to escape her father's restraints, but to step out of her sister's shadow. She both admired and resented the presence of Winter Schnee, who despite being the black sheep in the family, was indeed far more skilled with that family's traditional fighting style than Weiss herself could ever imagine herself being.

"So have you managed to complete your summoning yet?"

Had she been sipping any of the milky tea, she might have choked on the strong brew. This had been something she had been trying desperately to have omitted from the conversation, and an especially sore point to the girl still struggling to remain in the top percentile.

"I see." The disapproval in her sister's voice was telling enough, and cut her deep. The ghostly scar above her eye pulsed minutely as her face heated up.

"So you really haven't progressed at all have you? Have you even considered asking Father for help?"

Once again, Weiss's silence was answer enough for the sibling who knew her every expression. The furtive glance at her bag containing her still unanswered scroll was only added confirmation. Winter sighed in consternation.

"Weiss, I can understand that you want to make your own path in the world, and not follow in either Father's nor **my** footsteps." Weiss winced at her sister's deduction. "But if you are going to do so, you need to be able to improve on your own merit. And frankly, I don't know if I can see that happening while you are still here. I mean, you are still depending on Father for your every expense, and not only that, you still have not been able to summon, a skill that every Schnee has been able to do. Even your skill with Myrtenaster seems to have gotten shoddier."

Weiss felt her shame and anger with herself increase with every passing second her sister outlined her admitted negligence. Her finger hooked around the handle of the tea cup began to tighten, and she felt a slight crack in her knuckles.

"Why, I am even willing to bet that those two kids could beat you now."

This low blow left Weiss breathless. She had not considered the possibility of the veracity of this statement until now. Sure, Sasuke and Naruto each had proved themselves competent in their unique abilities and technique. But having fought against them only a palm-full of times, even including the last week or so they had spent sparring with the two, she had not considered the possibility that they were above her level of skill. The mere suggestion seemed ludicrous at first, but a nibbling doubt ate away at her insulation like a rat the more she thought about it. What if they were? What would that make her? She was already sidelined to her younger captain, but to be placed a step underneath the boys almost a half-decade her junior was an unacceptable insinuation.

"I am sorry to be so harsh on you, but you can see why, right? I just want what's best for you, and I am not sure that you can find it here."

* * *

"There! There! Hit him now! Awwww."

Yang sighed as Ruby's video game avatar was handily defeated by their uncle's. She quickly snatched the controller from the diminished young woman and elbowed her aside so that she could play in her stead. Ruby had suggested this plebian activity after their uncle had professed to being tired from his journey there, the nature of which was still shrouded in obfuscation. In fact, he was less tired from the schlep cross country, and more in need of a distraction, something to take his mind off of the unusual meeting he had held with Ozpin and his cohorts yesterday afternoon.

He still was deliberating on what to make of the two enigmatic young men, for, he had decided after Ozpin had later regaled him with their exploits to date, they could no longer truly be considered 'boys'. With that acknowledgment, however, came the responsibility and danger that would accompany accepting any other member into their fold, and Qrow had yet to make up his mind as to whether or not he trusted the two 'ninja' with his back. The raven-haired one, Sasuke, seemed strait forward enough, cooperative enough as long as Ozpin could still deliver whatever it was he promised the two of them. But the blond one was still a mystery, going out of his way to confront Qrow in the context of being Ruby's uncle, and illustrating a devout mission to protect her wellbeing. Something did not add up, so that was another reason he was here, to try and route out what sort of persona they presented to his niece's and their friends.

Although, he had to admit that it was just plain fun on occasion to whip the two whelps at their favorite video game. It just gave him such a profound feeling of satisfaction.

"Aaargh! Dang it! How do you keep beating me?!"

Yang threw the controller down at the ground, bouncing the sturdy plastic construct on the carpeted floor and into Ruby's awaiting hands.

"My turn!"

"Jeeze, don't you ever get tired of getting beaten?"

Ruby just stuck her tongue out at him and proceeded to reset the match. Qrow feigned exasperation, but in reality was content to do whatever it was that could lull the two girls into a sense of security, enough at least not to question his probing. Believing that he had allowed enough time for the mood to settle in, Qrow decided to prolong their virtual match while he addressed them.

"So, your team seems pretty nice, I mean, despite having a Schnee with you."

"Yeah, there great, and actually Weiss is pretty nice, once you get to know her."

Ruby shot off distractedly, furiously mashing buttons and toggling joysticks back and forth.

"Huh, a nice Schnee, I'll believe that when I see it. Anyway, what about those two I saw you hanging out with earlier? Don't they have a team of their own they can hang out with?"

Neither Ruby concentrating on beating her uncle at the game, nor Yang, diverting herself by reading a magazine she had found crumpled among the sheets had twigged on to the line of questioning yet, and were too wrapped up in their own little worlds at the moment to realize that the last they had seen of the two boys, they had whisked away their uncle before he even had a chance to greet the two of them.

"Naruto and Sasuke? They're amazing! They are both younger than I am, yet they were accepted into Beacon. They are so strong that they don't even need a full team. And Naruto's like my best friend outside of my team."

"Oh, is that so?" Qrow perked up at this tidbit, finally thinking that he was getting somewhere.

"Yeah! He even rescued me when I fell down a hole in the ground and landed in an enemy base. Oh! I forgot to tell you about that! We were so awesome we took on a whole base full of White Fang, and then defeated a whole bunch of Grimm that managed to get into the city."

In fact, Qrow had heard the brief report from Ozpin about what had transpired, more or less, on the mission to Mountain Glenn. He was less than happy about the headmaster sending green huntresses on such a dangerous assignment, but was slightly impressed that everything had come out more or less alright for the inflated team. And to tell the truth, it was good that his naïve niece had gotten a taste of the harsh reality so soon. If things were to get as bad as he and Ozpin feared they would, it was best that they all be prepared for the worst. Still, even the knowledge that the young man had once already come to her rescue, did not fully convince the skeptical man, who was weary with how long he spent dealing in the shadows with the worst kind of people.

To him, it was just another piece of info to consider.

"Well then, I suppose I owe him a token of gratitude, for saving my favorite niece."

"Hey! What about me?"

"What about you, Yang?"

Yang stewed on the sidelines while Ruby shrugged in regards to Qrow's suggestion.

"I guess. But I doubt he would accept it."

"Oh? Why's that?"

Ruby paused as she completed an especially long stream of choregraphed button sequences that provoked her character into landing an especially powerful blow on her uncle's character. He cursed slightly, as he had dropped his attention and allowed the blow in. He would have to be careful not to let her beat him now, so that he could finish his interrogation. Once again, Ruby did not know how to verbally answer the question.

"I don't know, that's just the kind of person he is. Despite how loud he can be at times, he really seems to be uncomfortable receiving anything from people, or at least not used to it. You should have seen how happy he was when I gave him that sword and breaker, though."

"Hmm, I thought I recognized your handiwork. I take it Crescent Rose is still holding up?"

"Of course! She's my pride and joy, you should see how good I am getting with her."

"Maybe I will."

"Huh?"

With that last conclusion, Qrow's character seemed to gain a level of dexterity and speed that had gone unannounced for most of the match. Suddenly, Ruby found herself on the defensive as Qrow's injured character quickly shifted the tide of the match and rained a non-stop barrage on the opposing digital construct which rapidly depleted the ample reserves of health the avatar had once possessed. Ruby could not help but stare incredulously as she went from being in the lead, to being defeated within a matter of seconds.

Qrow smirked at the shocked expression on the young girl's face.

"For your sake, I hope that you are better in the real world than you are in the game. But I was thinking, Ruby, Yang, how would you guys like to train with me for a few days? You know, when you are not participating in the tournament. I seem to find myself with a little bit of free time, and Ozzy suggested that you guys might appreciate hanging out with your old uncle."

Both Yang and Ruby indeed seemed ecstatic at the proposition, and heartily agreed. Though it would mean seeing a little bit less of their own team, not to mention the odd men out, it was a chance that they had not had for some time, to spend some quality time with their uncle, and to receive tailored instruction that would surely benefit the both of them.

While it was true that Qrow had gained a previously unanticipated amount of leisure time, he was far more concerned than he could let on. He couldn't outright dissuade his relatives from spending time with the two young men without arousing either their suspicions or ire, but he would feel far more comfortable the more time they spent under his care, and the less they spent exposed to those two. He knew it was a case of the pot calling the kettle black, but even if their best intentions turned out to be genuine, the two were far more involved in the darker workings of Ozpin's devices than Qrow felt comfortable with, and did not want the two women to be exposed to the grim face of the reality they were dealing with.

And as long as he was watching over them, he would take the time to hopefully prepare them in his own way, should the worst come to pass. He had spent time training the younger of the two before, and though her impatience sometimes vexed him, for the short amount of time that he was to be here, surely couldn't be that bad.

Could it?

* * *

As of that moment, she sure felt bad. Not to the point of being physically ill, but certainly bad enough to affect her daily routine. Specifically, she was feeling an acute sense of shame. She had told herself weeks, months ago, that she needed to improve her behavior in these regards. She needed to learn to trust others more, it was something that her team captain and all of her other cohorts kept emphasizing to her. While she had eventually improved to their regard, she had continually made herself emotionally inaccessible to anyone outside their tightly knit group.

Worse than that, to one individual in particular.

Truly, Blake could not understand what it was about Naruto that had set her so off guard at first. He was admittedly a radically different persona, but that alone should not have been enough to treat the boy with the constant wall of mistrust she had erected from the start. Ruby herself was an extremely vocal person, and certainly Weiss and Yang grated on her nerves to some extent, and she not only tolerated their presence, but actively sought it out.

There had been improvement early on. The night she spent outside in his company was a lonely island in her memories, cut off from everything else preceding and succeeding it. It was there, but the seas which lapped around it held no current that lead anywhere else in the perpetual torrent that surrounded the boy.

And yet, despite her mistrust of his improbably upbeat attitude, despite the cold shoulder that she continuously gave him, he had never treated her ill. He even seemed to go out of his way to befriend those who held initial animosity towards him. Possibly his best friend in the entire country admitted to trying to kill the boy at first. And what even might be more surprising was that even Weiss was starting to thaw her icy personality around the eternal ball of sunshine.

So what did that make her?

Complicated. It made her complicated.

She flinched in her stroll as a raven she had not noticed pecking at a scrap of discarded bread crust took offence to her presence and took off with an indignant squawk and a battering of gangly wings. She sighed at her own foolishness.

She was a Faunus, not a god. Not perfect. This feeling, this problem was mutable, and she would rectify it, starting now.

Fate decided to take her literally as she caught sight of a mop of blond hair glowing golden in the afternoon sun, the boy connected to it sitting on a familiar looking park bench with a familiar expression of vacancy etched on his face as he stared out into the nothingness beyond. He showed no sign of noticing her approach, though she was not trying to sneak up on him. She herself did not in fact seem to command her body at this point as her legs planted themselves mechanically one after another, stopping just short of where the boy sat in tranquility.

"Hey."

"Hey."

She sat down next to him and looked out in the same direction in which he was fixated, hoping that however improbably, she might find what he was looking for. Light and shadow settled on the park bench there, at the edge of the emerald forest and they shared a comfortable silence.

"We have to stop meeting like this, you know?"

This elicited an amused sound from the boy, but one which was heavily laced with a black humor. Blake turned slightly so that she could face him. She had not been sure, at first, whether she would be able to look at him and say what needed to be said, but in this instant she knew it was all or nothing. She had to give him the best apology she could muster. Whatever it would be would be so much less than what he deserved after all he had done for her and her team, but she hoped she could convey all that she needed to. It was hard enough convincing herself.

"Look, Naruto, I just wanted to apologize."

More than anything this seemed to shock the young man out of his contemplative trance, and he shot her a wide-eyed gaze.

"For what?"

It was her turn to surprised. Had he really not noticed how coldly she had been treating him? He must have had the thickest of hides (or skulls) to be unaffected by her distant behavior. Was he going out of his way to make this difficult for her?

"I wanted to apologize to you for how I have treated you since we met. I wanted to let you know that it isn't your fault that I've been so cold. It isn't your fault that I didn't trust you, it's just been me and my hang-ups. I really can't explain what it is but-"

"Blake, please stop."

Trust. Trust. Trust. Why did it always have to come back to that? Everything in his life seemed to revolve around this abstract, so freely given, broken, misplaced. Why could he never seem to grasp it? Sasuke had broken his trust which lead them here. He was forced to trust that he had somehow changed back to his old self when they had been transported. He had to trust that Ozpin was not leading them astray, that his current actions really were for the betterment of the world of Remnant. In doing so he had to gain the trust of the very faction he was fighting against. Moreover, he had to betray the trust of the people who made every effort to make them feel welcome. They didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve them.

"Please, just stop."

Blake was taken aback by the pained reaction her act of contrition had invoked in the blond lad. It only served to further her self-loathing that she seemed capable of only causing the innocent young man pain. Why must the path to hell be pathed with good intentions?

Naruto shook his head, trying to rid himself of all the negative emotions threatening to spill forth form his carefully crafted dam and licking at the shores of his sanity.

"I'm sorry. I mean-" ' **I'm** the one who is sorry, Blake.' But he couldn't admit that without admitting everything else, dragging her down with him and likely ruining any chance to grasp the hand of friendship that she was now proffering to him.

"I mean, you really don't have anything to apologize for." He adopted a carefully practiced grin which threw a curtain over all the internal strife he was feeling. "Trust me, you have been a lot nicer to me than a lot of my other friends." That, pathetically enough, was at least was true.

The dark-haired woman did not look convinced of this, she had worked herself up in order to rectify whatever mistake it was that she thought she had perpetrated and it would be hard to change her mind with a carefree wave of the hand. He cautiously placed one of his hands atop her own olive-hued appendage in a forgotten gesture and pang of déjà vu.

"We are friends, aren't we?" He ventured, careful not to tread too far over the sea of egg shells that in this dark territory might lay before him.

This innocent expression of affection, this primal language of contact seemed to placate her restless reptilian brain. She offered the irreproachable blond a small smile infinitely more valuable than his own and placed her free hand atop the other.

"Of course."

* * *

Naruto stood and watched the long black hair as it sashayed back and forth, accompanying the departing back of one of his more troublesome companions. He felt as the wind tussled his own agitated do and teased the ends of his trailing velvet scarf. It was an idyllic setting that should have becalmed him, but left him with more stray issues than when he had first settled down to work on them in solitary. These were his problems, though, and he did not wish to burden anyone else with them.

"Awww. I thought that was pretty cute."

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the revelation of the voice. Her presence had already been causing some of his more pressing concerns, and he really didn't want to deal with the obnoxious woman right now.

"What do you want, Emerald?"

"What? I don't even get a hello?" She stood up from her deep recline on the bench he and Blake had just been occupying and sauntered over to him, his back turned to her, and she reached around to tease his whisker marks. "Sooo mean!"

He batted her hand away, streaks of irritation wrinkling his brow as he turned to face her.

"Knock it off." The emotional battle that he had been fighting for the last few hours had not left him in any kind of mood to indulge her mischief. He had a hard enough time not even considering this, not lashing out at the woman who took every opportunity to make him uncomfortable. Not only regarding his fragile agreement with the faction she was aligned with, but she had proved herself adept at using her feminine wiles to distract him and throw him off balance.

"I will only ask one more time. What are you doing here?"

A wicked grin carved itself out of her olivine face.

"I just thought that I would check up on my new favorite associate. What's the matter? Don't like spending time with little 'ol me?"

Naruto bared his teeth at the tongue-in-cheek.

"Why don't you go pester Mercury, I am sure he would love to have you check up on him."

"Maaaa, he isn't nearly as fun. Besides…" Her crimson eyes narrowed menacingly without eclipsing the predatory smile. "Cinder wanted me to make sure you weren't having any second thoughts this late in the game. You're not, are you?" Her gaze drifted from him slightly to where he assumed Blake had hopefully long since vanished.

"No."

"Good, I don't know what Cinder promised you to make you so… cooperative… but I am sure you don't want us to have to find, **other** , means of motivation."

Before he could react, her hand shot out and pinched his whiskered cheek, causing him no small amount of pain.

"Aaaa! You two just looked so **cute!** " Her eyes once more assumed a predatory glint as she met his own continuously darkening in barely contained rage. "We wouldn't want something to happen to something so cute, would we?"

Whatever game she had been playing Naruto then decided to spectacularly forfeit. He could bear any amount of humiliation and discomfort to his own person, but she should have known that bringing his friends onto the board was a terrible decision. He grabbed her hand pinching his cheek with a swiftness and strength that she could barely follow, and he held it there between them. Though it was not yet causing her pain, she found that she could not free her appendage from his vice grip.

Taken aback by this sudden show of backbone, she tried to break free more aggressively. But once her own shocked eyes met his, she froze involuntarily. She was no longer standing there at the edge of the Emerald forest in the afternoon breeze. Instead, the setting sun had become a hellfire staining the verdant field of grass in a crimson swath and igniting a flame behind the emerald pools which now burned crimson. Or was that blaze emanating from the eyes themselves? Were they in fact the portal that lead her to this hell where she was now trapped.

"If you ever hurt my friends, I will destroy you."

The sun set, and the blue world returned, the afternoon gale tearing at the both of them dying down to a mere whisper. The crimson slits were still burned into her retinas, however, as Naruto released her from his grasp and wordlessly turned away from the awestruck woman. Leaving her to collapse to her knees on the cool evening grass, burned, broken, as daughter of Icarus flying too close to the sun.

* * *

She ground her teeth and burned with an all-consuming flame of humiliation and frustration as she stomped her way back from the gazebo in which she had shared afternoon tea with her sister. The halls were mercifully vacant as she aimlessly paced under their barren arches for she would have then lashed out at any living ting which dared cross her path. The way she was feeling, she wished she could cut her echo right out of the stonework.

Weiss wished she could aim this bitterness towards her sister, towards someone. But everything Winter had said about her during their talk had been true, and it was so much harder to rid herself of this anger when it was all directed inward. Why? Why was she still so weak? She had left home expressly to prove to her father that she could become strong without his help, and yet here she was stagnating, nay floundering under the tutelage of this academy and its sub-par teachers. More importantly, what could she do to fix this?

She was not in a mental state to do so however, for doing so would have required extensive introspective reflection, and right now she just wanted to hit something. So the only logical course of action was to take out her frustrations on the most convenient target and hopefully regain a level head after she had replaced the last of this frustration with exhaustion.

She had stormed out into the evening air, not entirely certain of her direction, only that she had aimed herself in the approximate area of the training grounds and let fly. Approaching an especially isolated field, one which would be perfect for indulging in her more destructive techniques, she did not even register its occupancy until she stepped off of the dirt path into the clearing. She halted abruptly when her eyes caught a glint of steel in the pale moonlight.

The pale moonlight reflected off of the finely-honed blade just enough to illuminate the figure wielding it. Her mouth twisted in a bitter taste of irony as she recognized one of the avatars of her ire.

"What are **you** doing here?"

In the darkness she saw Sasuke quirk and eyebrow in what she interpreted to be a mocking expression.

"I could ask the same thing."

He had been practicing his sword kata in solitary to relax a little. It was tranquil, normally, in this training ground and thus was one of the reasons he could often be found there. It was an odd occurrence to have the Schnee heiress here, especially so late I the day, far past any of the times their teams normally gathered to practice.

"For your information, I am here because I want to practice my family's techniques. So why don't you go do your drunkard's form somewhere else?"

Sasuke was not sure whether he should be irritated, or amused at seeing the normally reserved girl so flustered.

"Humph. What has gotten you so riled up?"

Reason had long since abandoned Weiss, and her anger had been allowed to ferment the hours after her meeting with her sister, and now the fury it had brewed was bubbling over.

"You!"

Sasuke had been expecting a lot of things that she could have said, but the single syllable response was not one of them. What had he done to warrant this amount of undiluted malice?

"You want to know why I am so upset? It's because of you! You and your friend are degrading the prestige of this school. Not only are you a drag on the faculty, but you are holding us back as well by constantly making us pick up your slack! How am I expected to get stronger if the only people I have to test myself against are children?!"

He could have laughed, had the confrontation been any less tense. Was it the irony of fate, or the simple-mindedness of humans that cause history to be so closely paralleled even in this foreign world? It made him wonder just what side of the mirror he was standing on.

"So, you want strength?"

Weiss was silent as the sparse clouds overhead moved in front of the broken moon and bathed them both in shadow and the temperature dropped perceptibly.

"Tell me, how far are you willing to go for that strength?"

"I have come all the way from Atlas to Beacon because I thought it would make me better. I would go to the ends of the Earth if I had to!"

Sasuke smirked in the darkness at the naiveite of her brash statement. Now he wondered whether she was more like him, or Naruto?

"I asked, how far are you willing to go?"

She caught the barest reflection of the darkened blade as it shifted slightly in the young man's grasp. His eyes, however, seemed to be glowing in murkiness that enshrouded the two of them, and Weiss felt herself shiver even though the temperature had plateaued. The tone she now felt as he asked the question was one she had not yet heard from the young man. It was in fact not something that she had encountered from anyone yet. It was so…. Cold.

"You want to be strong? I will tell you right now, you will never be strong unless you are willing to give sacrifice everything. Your pride, your friends, your life. As you are now, you are the one holding me back."

Weiss felt herself reach for Myrtenaster which had appeared on her waist somewhere between here and the afternoon tea. It flicked out of its clasp with a ring that echoed in the oppressive silence and leveled itself at the teen cloaked in darkness's shroud.

"So are you willing to do what it takes, whatever it takes, to gain that strength? Is it worth that much to you? Are you willing to kill for it?"

"I have killed countless Grimm. I will kill as many as it takes to become a formidable huntress."

Pathetic. She still did not understand.

"Are you willing to kill me?"

This question dropped the menacing blade slightly as Weiss felt herself falter. It was such an outlandish, such a morbid question that she was not prepared for, as such it disarmed her.

"W-what? What kind of stupid question is that?"

The moonlight bled through the clouds and fell heavily upon the clearing in its chromium glow. It froze the face of the young man fixating her with his penetrating gaze. She felt the breath leave her as she looked upon the image not of the talented young man she had envisioned when she drummed up her anger, but of a specter of the night. A Grimm in guise of a man.

"I will tell you right now, as you are right not you will not get stronger. You won't even be able to beat me, unless you come at me with the intent to kill."

The little death fell upon her.

Had her sword not already been held at the ready, she would not have been able to intercept the first blow, despite the horrific milliseconds in which she had to anticipate it. Even still, the force behind it, exponentially stronger than what the smaller boy should have been able to imbue, knocked her off balance from her ill-formed stance. It was through the most timely of miracles that her grip tightened on her sword in time enough for it not to go skittering away into the bushes.

In her half-stumble back, she was forced to block another precision thrust from her aggressor. What was coming at her now was not half man, it was a program instilled with the callousness that only a true hunter could deliver. A hunter of men, that is.

Barely blocking a third thrust that she managed to parry away from her liver, Weiss came to this realization with a horrified start. Her malice abandoned in fear, she was now fighting to survive. It was not what she expected when she had wandered out to the clearing in the oppressive night, nor was it what she had come to expect from the young huntsman. Sure, he had thoroughly demonstrated is restraint on human empathy, but the man in front of her now was devoid of the concept.

She was sure now, reading the blows like a billboard, that she was not going to be able to talk her way out of this. The only way now available to her was to fight. Fight, or die.

In death she found renewed fervor. Adrenaline pushing her further into the fight, for there was nowhere in that isolated arena to run. She met another thrust down low, and with a flick of her wrist tried sending it to the side before initiating her first counter. Now it was a true duel.

And duel they did. Back and forth in fatalistic monotony. With each passing second she realized the toll the fight was taking, and the unsustainability of this pace. And more to her horror, she realized that not only was the other fighter visibly unaffected, he was toying with her. He had taken a dueling stance, too rigid and formal by a half, but it was only this small concession that was keeping her alive. But was it really a show of mercy?

Her fury returned with a vengeance as she realized that he was mocking her. He was not using the style he had painstaking developed over the past months in order to reconcile the teachings of both East and West. Instead, he was meeting her on her own terms, pinpoint stabs to the head and torso only. And even in this limitation, he was beating her. Each stab screaming out as metal screeched against metal: 'I am better than you'.

Her outrage was the weight behind the next thrust right at his smug, yet emotionless face. She used whatever advantage left to her in this moment of anger and desperation, her additional height on the young man for once being put to good use.

Not even attempting to block the deadly thrust, he almost lazily turned to the side, causing it to miss by a hairsbreadth. Like a whip his own sword shot out at her unarmed hand, extended to maintain her balance in the deep lunge.

A cry of surprise and fury as red stained white. Weiss clutched her wounded hand to her mouth as she disengaged. Sasuke patiently backed off as Weiss went to lick her wound. She looked down at the gash running the back of her hand from thumb to pinky, the red essence spilling out in beading droplets which formed a small river which she dutifully lapped up, a habit ingrained to prevent the offensive liquid from staining her clothes.

She looked from her pale appendage to the man who had perpetrated it. The strike had been so fast, or rather her concentration had been so focused into the attack, that she had not properly molded her Aura and let his blade sneak through. The message was written in her blood spilling out onto the short-cropped grass. Sloppy.

She had been so sloppy, so affeered of the man now coming after her she had lost her skill in the heat of the moment. The shock and the pain helped give her focus, a moment in which she gathered herself and her knowledge, scouring it for anything and everything that would help her survive this maniac. She remembered. She was a Schnee. She wouldn't lose.

Through cowering and countering, she went on the attack. A dismissive flick of her wrist in his direction and a massive glyph appeared underneath her attending adversary. He looked almost satisfied as he leapt out of the way before a jagged tooth of ice spawned from the otherwise dry earth.

She would not let him have this satisfaction, though, and she would not let him rest as he had her. A partial revolution on the canister of her sword, and she sent a burst of fire-dust shots at his fleeing form. Bobbing and weaving through them like an osprey in flight she felt her vindication grow even more. Another turn, another glyph, another block of ice coalescing on the space he used to be. Repeat.

But at least she had him on the run, though she had yet to make an attack connect. In fact, after that last spike of frozen water rent through the soil of the beleaguered training ground, she had lost sight of him. His dark blue garb becoming one with the shadows blanketing the field.

"You are going to have to do better than that."

The whisper came right into her ear, and she spun on her heal, a slash already aimed point blank. But Sasuke caught her wrist before the blade could get anywhere near him. She froze as she stared at the transformed man in front of her. This was no longer the Sasuke that had been hanging around on their heels, always playing foil for his more conspicuous friend. This monster stared through her every level with blood soaked marble spheres, black phenocrysts in a pattern of comas slowly swirling, screwing in and sealing her fate.

"Weak."

She couldn't move. Couldn't tear herself away. Couldn't deny the truth that bored into her. Her hand shot out in a spray of red drops and connected with that visage that contained the offensive eyes. His hand released her wrist, as he stumbled back a single step, face cocked to the side from the surprising, and surprisingly strong blow.

She quickly retreated, breathing hard form exertion and from the brief period in which even her lungs had been frozen. Tasting fresh air again like it was her first breath. Or her last. As she held her sword out in front of her, it looked feeble defense as it wobbled in her failing grip. She would have to thank Naruto whenever she next saw him, for the unorthodox move. She hoped it would be in this life, however unlikely that seemed at this point.

Sasuke blinked as he registered the fact that he no longer held her prisoner. He straightened and faced her, and in the shallow light cast by the moon, she could see his alabaster face dotted with a Rorschach of her blood. Despite this, his lack of expression did not change. She shuddered, the world growing colder by the minute.

"Your fear."

At the sound her grip tightened. How long it would last, she didn't know.

"Your anger."

Was she even angry anymore? Or just scared for her life? No. She was angry. She was furious. She was whatever lay beyond that step as the burning indignation cast away the encroaching chill. She felt her blood boil at the sheer unfairness, the preposterousness of this whole situation. She was older. She was trained longer, and harder. She was a Schnee. He was a nobody. She couldn't, wouldn't lose.

"Are they enough?"

Yes. Yes by far. She reached deep down into whatever shallow pool of strength she had left and drained the last of it. Then she scooped up whatever had seeped into the cracks and pores in the container that housed it. She felt whatever vindication, benediction, righteous fury it was that her ancestors had all possessed in order to persevere throughout the centuries.

She screamed and let loose. Every fiber of her being, every ounce of her strength, every drop of her will, every speck of dust she had on her person. Everything, into one last attack, one last gamble betting on life.

A glyph of such intricate complexity and massive size blanketed the field, overlaying all that either of them could see. It was tattooed on Sasuke's body as he watched her wide-eyed, unbale to do anything. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but not a word came as he was frozen solid. Everything was frozen. A mountain range where previously there was none overcame the field. A mini-ice age had been brought to Remnant, and the trees for a kilometer in radius hung with shocked beards of horizontal icicles, caught in the explosion of cold fury that had emanated from the woman who now collapsed in a heap in the epicenter.

Her head rested on her hand to keep it off of the cold ground. She looked on in spent relief at the place where her tormentor had once stood, intermittent with the clouds of condensed air as she took each slow, ragged breath. The area was silent, save the thousand bells of crinkling glass. Aglow with reflected moonlight, all was still.

Her eyes drooped, night closing in. In that night, a star appeared. It was a faint and flickering star. It must have been far off. But it was getting closer. Brighter. It was a planet. It was satellite. It was a meteor. It was red giant in a display case, pulsating and growing bigger and bigger before it would implode on itself and send waves of heat radiating outward for lightyears before all disappeared into inescapable blackness.

The ice mountain groaned, cracked, broke apart like an eggshell as an angle of death hatched from its confines. Wings of no light unfolded and burst forth from the ice and sent clasts of ice weighing tons scattering like so many pebbles on the wind. A cold wind, followed by a wave of excruciating heat hit her head on as she lay immobile.

She could not move a muscle as Lucifer reared his shadowed head, sword ablaze and raised to the heavens as if to smite the lord himself. He drifted over to her on raven wings making no sound in the hellfire that burned even the ice around them.

She gazed upon his shadowed face, unable to see any feature besides those same blood red marbles drilling into her prone form. He alighted silently in front of her, the sword of pure flame aimed at her face. The tendrils of heat licked at the scar that lay just above her eye, caressing the ancient wound.

"Your anger…"

The voice came from the shade, and from within the darkest portions of her being. What anger? What had the dead to be angry for?

"It wasn't enough, was it?"

No. It had abandoned her. And its place she could feel nothing but regret. Regret for abandoning her friends to this monster. Still. Nothing to be done. She looked the grim reaper in his crimson gaze and waited for him to carry her off to hell without fear. That was gone. Everything was gone.

The flames on the sword bled off steadily into the night, sheathing the blade once more into its earthly metal. The darkness, black blacker than the night that surrounded them broke and drifted away like feathers on invisible wind as the wings of the dark angle dissolved and left a very human form. Finally, the red, restive eyes shut, and when they reopened, they were a familiar onyx, a shade she knew in a previous life.

The dark-haired young man returned the strait blade to its scabbard on the small of his back, the raven wings on its hilt embracing the decorated metal catch with a small click. He then gently bent over, and she felt two warm limbs sliding under her beleaguered frame. She was weightless, looking up into a sky filled with endless numbers of starts, all of them winking friendly at her, none of them about to die spectacularly.

She was moving, swimming among them. Swimming into a cave of treetops, their dark needled branches enclosing on her vision. They were everywhere, and she was shrouded in their warmth.


	20. Forces of Victory

**Hey! You made it!**

 **Well, some of you, anyway. But to those that stuck with it, from the bottom of my heart or whatever organ you choose, thank you. Thanks to those who left nice reviews, thanks to those who left nice long reviews, thanks to those who read it but couldn't be bothered to review, and thanks, yes to those who thought it sucked d*** but let me know why. **

**I say this, because I do know that at times I can be long winded and can throw a lot of unneeded verbiage into my sentences. So thanks to those who called me out on it, and thanks to those who plowed through anyway. You rock! On that note, though, I will try to be more concise with my future posts. I could have used this criticism sooner, but like I already explained, I wanted to get a good chunk of this up and out so I couldn't abandon it that easily. Now it would be like aborting a baby by smothering it. Anyhooo- I will try to cut down on the 'purple prose' some. Yes, I do understand that a lot of big words do not make something better, and can in fact some times be a hindrance. It is, in fact the way you say something and I will simply have to put more thought into this endeavor in the future. *Sigh* this is what happens when you become immersed in the academic life. Mea Culpa.**

 **That being said, for those of who who told me to 'put down the Thesaurus' , sorry to say but I hardly, if ever use one. Only when there is that one word that I know, but massive brain damage from too much loud music and punches to the head makes me forget. One may say that I butcher the English language, but I prefer to think of myself as a Necromancer. Truly, I simply enjoy using the vast plethora of words at my disposal in the English language as much as I can. English has the most number of words out of any other language, mainly because we annex other people's terms for things for our own use, and because we invent shit. Chances are, if you are struggling to find a term to express yourself, there is an English word for it. Unless it is hate. Then go with German. **

**But in all seriousness, I love spreading the gospel of the love of language (no, not a literal gospel, sorry but I am pretty much a heathen by anyone's definition). If you want to find an entertaining way to learn great words, and ones very pertinent to the times we live in, check out . Anu Garg and his daily news letter are one of my daily joys, and even if I can only learn one word out of every 50 new ones he introduces, I count myself lucky. That man knows English as a second language, better than I ever will as my native tongue. I aspire to be like him.**

 **I also aspire to be regular with my posts from now on. Meaning that I will try and post chapters as they are updated, so as to make it easier to find and correct mistakes, and not make me dread going back to re-write a whole chapter and potentially screw up my entire story line. I also say "try", because, well life and stuff. Sucks, don't it? And by 'regularly' I mean, if you haven't heard from me all month, I'm either dead or in some serious trouble. Send help.**

 **But once again, thanks to everyone. Both here in the US and abroad. Merci! Grazzi! Dankershern! Arigato! Gracias! Abrigado! Camun! Shukran! I love you all. Except you. Yes you. You know who you are.**

* * *

The sun, the nigh-eternal life-giving ball of flame shone through the open window now that the drapes had been drawn to let the otherwise stuffy room become connected to the world outside. It was a gentle, nurturing light that shone onto the woman cocooned within her fluffy-white sheets and ushered her to awaken and face the glorious day it had carried with it. The warmth was welcome, caressing, soothing her aching muscles and relieving the tension that had been mounting all throughout her restive slumber.

The light, however, was not. In her state of transient consciousness, she simply shifted and buried her head even further into the shade her covers provided and ignored the oncoming daylight. The light in itself was easy enough to ignore. It was the accompanying noise that she could most certainly do without.

"Weiss! Get up! We have to get ready for our match today!"

Fuck. A robin, she could have ignored. Hell, if there had been a backhoe outside their open window, she might have chalked it up to white noise and turned over to face the wall. Yang, Yang was another matter entirely. Her volume knob went up to eleven, and Weiss's aching noggin at the moment was even exacerbating it, creating the effect of feedback distortion causing a full-blown migraine.

"Smmmuphtmuhfmuhpuh." The young woman mumbled incoherently into her pillow.

The gathered team RWBY, long since revived and prepared for the tournament a scant few hours away just looked at one another, probing to see if any of them had understood Weiss's muted reply. Taking charge, Ruby leaned over her partner and tapped the fluffy bundle gently on the area she assumed to contain her shoulder.

"Umm, sorry Weiss, could you repeat that?"

The blankets were whipped away to reveal the icy glare of a red-eyed and clearly irritated Schnee.

"I said: Shut the fuck up."

The words were barely whispered in the face of the awestruck team leader, but hit her like a tidal wave. Weiss just turned her back once again on the stunned team and dove back into her sanctuary. Despite having just narrowly escaped death, Ruby approached the slowly inhaling bundle, intent on figuring out what was wrong with their normally punctual and orderly teammate.

"Weiss? Sorry to bother you." Ruby whispered cautiously, hoping her partner could hear her. "But the tournament is coming up soon, and Yang needs you to get ready so that you can, well, you know, fight?"

Weiss just groaned. Clearly, she was not just going to get them to go away. Hopefully she wouldn't have to explain anything to them. Even she did not know what exactly had transpired last night, other than the fact that she was sore all over and had a splitting headache. That, and the image of crimson-eyed specter which had burned itself into her mind and plagued her restless sleep for however much of it she was aware.

"I can't go. I feel awful. One of you will have to take my place."

The simpering tone with which she stated it left no room for any doubt that she was telling the truth. But that meant that they would indeed need to change their plan of action, and someone else would need to be paired with Yang in the off-chance that they would be called on to fight in the tournament today.

The two remaining choices looked at one another before assuming looks of hard intent. A bolt of lightning bridged the two charged egos as they stared one another down and each tensed in anticipation for the oncoming storm. Suddenly, two hands shot out at the other, closed fists traveling in a blur of motion.

"Ha!"

Blake looked at where the two attacks had stopped, her own open palm faced down next adjacent to Ruby's index and middle fingers splayed out in a horizontal V. The imitation of scissors righted itself as Ruby gave a juvenile gesture of victory. Blake just shrugged in acceptance of the outcome and left the two sisters to celebrate the fortuitous change of plans by engaging in an airborne high-five which proved to be a mistake as a hissing shush reminded them that one of their teammates was still quite adverse to loud noises.

"Sorry!" Ruby whispered back to the irritable white lump before the three remaining members of team RWBY made their egress as quickly and quietly as possible. Once outside of the sealed portal, though, the two siblings quickly shut out the dark-haired woman with their emphatic back and forth of adrenaline-fueled stratagems. This frenetic planning session lasted the entire journey from the dorms, through the castle-like complex of halls which made up the academy, the short jog on the bullhead, and even within the long and oddly empty corridors which made up the superstructure of the floating arena. It wasn't until the two, red and yellow arrived at the contestant's box that either of them broke from their giddy back and forth.

"….I don't know, what do you think, Blake?" Ruby turned around to address this question to their, even for Blake, unusually silent teammate. The two blinked when they found the hallway behind them devoid of the Belladonna.

"Huh, I hope we didn't lose her back in the room." With this chagrined hope expressed, the two could do little more than continue to their destination, the tournament already well underway and the other contestants eagerly awaiting their turn.

* * *

Waiting, was one thing Uzumaki Naruto did not do well. He nervously fidgeted in the stadium seat, the folding platform squeaking incessantly along with his constant shifting. He glance over his shoulder every few seconds to the recessed entrance to the contestant's box, hoping to spy any glimpse of his AWOL partner. Sasuke had not returned all night, to Naruto's knowledge, and while this was not unusual for the recalcitrant teen, it was less consistent of him to do so when their potential match awaited them so soon in the morning. It was even more disconcerting that he had yet to appear, the majority of contestants already present and either eagerly chatting away or coolly observing their potential rivals.

He brightened slightly when he caught sight of approaching shadows in the far-off hall. He was disappointed, however slightly, when it turned out to be two of the other contestants who had also been noticeably absent. He was grateful to see that they had arrived on time, though was admittedly startled by the substitution of one of the peoples. He had mentally prepared himself to the possibility that he and Sasuke might be pitted against members of team RWBY, and both had planned accordingly. Just because they were friends did not mean that they would go easy on them. Both for their own good, and whatever little public pride the two shinobi wished to retain.

He was thusly caught off-guard when the person accompanying Yang into her seat not far off from the boy's own, was her flesh and blood sister, and not the coldly dispositioned young woman. His already twitchy state was exacerbated by this development, and he felt a distinct tug on some unidentified muscle in his chest, and silently hoped that he was not experiencing the results of such a stressful youth and developing medical problems this soon. Shouldn't his tenant take care of this? Then again, the giant fox would probably be ecstatic at the thought of him having a panic attack.

His racing heartbeat as they two approached him masked any sounds he might have heard, and assumed the bulk of his attention causing him to miss the presence which materialized in the seat next to him. He nearly jumped out of his spring-bound seat when he felt an inquisitive tap on his shoulder.

"Shit! Sasuke, you scared me-" Any diatribe the blond had meticulously planned out was derailed when he spun around to face the person who had slid into the vacant space.

" **You**."

Accosting the verdette who had draped herself over the pebbled-plastic chair, he unwittingly imbued this single phrase with a truckload of gravel. Though he could not see it himself, crimson sprites flitted across the cerulean heavens of his eyes, darkened now in the oncoming storm. However, he did notice her reaction to this change, as she flinched for the briefest of moments in her relaxed sprawl and her carefully molded aura of cool confidence faltered under this scrutiny.

In spite of whatever fear she may have been combating behind her ruby orbs, she pressed on with her task entrusted to her by Cinder.

"As you can see, there has been a slight change in plans." She dipped her head in the direction of the two young woman snaking their way through the maze of roaming food vendors and talkative combatants. Naruto only narrowed his icy gaze a modicum more at her implication, waiting to see what other fowl news she would deliver that he would be forced to puppet for the time being.

"Relax, there's nothing that you really have to do. Cinder just chose to see this as an…opportunity. The only thing we need from you…." Her customary smirk returned with her usual assumed confidence. "…. Is to win."

While this prospect was not inherently abhorrent to the young ninja, once the words were conducted by this woman who he had come to dislike on a personal level they held a distinctly bitter taste to which his mouth twisted in distaste.

"And, if for some reason I don't?"

The threat was clear, despite the guise of a question. He was prodding her, begging her to give him an excuse to release his anger and rip her to shreds. When had these dark thoughts penetrated his normally sunny outlook? They permeated so seamlessly into his thoughts, that it was hard not to assume that he was changing. Something in this world, in his past actions had begun to galvanize him, and these frequent encounters only seemed to be expediting the process.

Visibly unperturbed by the blond's tangible hatred, Emerald related to him the instruction passed on to her.

"Cinder just wanted to let you know that it would be in your best interest to do so." She shot another look at the shorter girl who was just penetrating their sphere of conversation. "It would be better for all parties involved if you cooperated."

Before he could either verbally or physically retaliate, Ruby and Yang had both gotten close enough that any stray words or blows might sweep them up as collateral. He held his tongue and glanced back to greet his approaching friends. When he turned back, the seat slated for his partner was vacant once again, the green-haired girl having slunk off to report the successful delivery of her message.

"Hey Naruto! Surprised to see me?"

He was, though he was grateful that the two of them seemed to interpret his mostly disconcerted visage as surprise, rather than try and see the underlying turmoil. He greeted them with as much enthusiasm as he could muster for the occasion, hoping that they would not ken his personal misgivings, which were only increasing now that his partner still had not yet arrived. Naruto truly hoped that this would not end up being a repeat of their last exhibition tournament. It was his sneaking suspicion that their teacher's influence might now be taking belated effect on his under spoken teammate.

"Hey Yang, Ruby. What are you doing here? I thought that you said Weiss was going to be the one to fight with Yang in the doubles round?"

Ruby nodded emphatically and related to her friend how they had found Weiss less than lively this morning. This added further evidence to Naruto's growing list of askance events for the day, deepening the mystery and making him more and more concerned about the lack of visibility from the Uchiha. Ruby went on to explain her 'epic' battle with Blake over who would substitute for the ice princess, followed by her own nervous scan of the theater in search of their teammate who had disappeared along the way. Naruto nodded as he empathetically related to her plight.

"Well, you saw her this morning, so I'm sure she'll turn up. I haven't seen Sasuke all day."

Ruby and Yang had furrowed eyebrows as they questioned this statement. Naruto assumed that they were equally perplexed as to the whereabouts of his wayward partner.

"Naruto, what are you talking about? Sasuke is right there."

Naruto traced Yang's finger and turned his head to look behind him. This time he did leap a good distance into the air when he came to discover his long-lost friend was indeed no longer one of those things and sitting plaintively in the seat not one minute ago occupied by Emerald. Despite having his eyes closed in an attempted display of tranquility, Naruto could clearly see the look of consternation, or was that simple fatigue, etched on his face. He sat there as if the stadium had been constructed around him as a cornerstone, arms folded and statuesque.

"Ah! Sasuke! What the hell? Where were you."

Sasuke cracked one eye open to shoot Naruto a look which needed no words to convey the message, but which followed anyway.

"Dobe. Be quiet." The rest followed, silently. 'We will talk later. Maybe.'

Rather than take offense at this typical reply from his partner, Naruto chose instead to appraise the deep bags underneath Sasuke's eyes, and the freshly scabbed-over scratches peeking out from underneath his sleeves, and barely hidden bruise on his forehead, which was camouflaged underneath the shadow cast from his hair. Despite the concern over his partner's state, Naruto was more relieved that the boy had turned up at all, with time to spare, even. He would see about wringing the full story out of him later, when they did not have to sequester all of their concentration on beating this world's elite students.

Sasuke had returned to his attempt in gleaning the smallest amount of rest he could out of the short time they had available to them, when without a word, Naruto lightly cuffed his shoulder. He only gave a skewed grin in response to the death-glare sent his way.

"Glad to have you back."

* * *

Back up in the stands, Blake watched Emerald slip lithely out of the seat and into the row above as the blond-haired young man turned to regard her teammates who were approaching him from the other side. She narrowed her cat-like eyes trying to interpret what she had just seen. From her position far up in the spectator's stands, she could not make out any of the words exchanged in the short cabal held by the two, but could almost palpably feel Naruto's displeasure when confronted by the green-haired young woman.

She thought that she had finally reconciled her misgivings about the young duo, and in this presumption of innocence, struggled to comprehend why two students, hardly acquainted that she could tell, outside of the handful of times she had seen them interact, would appear to talk as if some grave affront had been committed between the two.

She thought back to the last time she had seen Emerald and Naruto in the same place, and recalled the almost flirtatious manner in which Emerald had interacted with the young man. This was at total odds with what she had just witnessed, but not entirely out of place. She recalled that the blond had seemed less embarrassed with her intimations, well at least at first before the rest of them decided to tease the boy unmercifully, and more offended?

This deeply upset the cat Faunus, who was reconciling herself that the blond young man was her friend. Was this the reason he had seemed so suspicious to her? Did Emerald have some kind of dirt on Naruto like Cardin had had with Jaune? If the woman had any part in precipitating the rift that had previously separated the two would-be friends, Blake would have to have a serious conversation with the other woman. It almost made her a little glad, in a way, knowing that she had the basis for wanting to take the smug huntress down a peg or two.

But despite her conviction, what had Naruto done, or not done, to deserve her attention? She was all for letting people have their own secrets, her own she still fervently guarded. But if the blond was in trouble, shouldn't she as a friend try and help him? Perhaps she would bring the matter up with Ruby or Yang later, when stray thoughts about their friend might not inhibit them from confronting them in the arena.

* * *

High above the arena floor, Cinder gazed out of the shadows at the writhing human mass garishly undulating like so much trash on the surface of the sea. Imagining Nevermores plucking them out of their seats like snails from their shells brought a sly smile to her face. Soon.

"So?"

Without braking her wistful gaze, she address her underling who had congealed from the surrounding darkness.

"I told him."

Emerald reported the success of her micro-mission to her leader and mentor as she looked askance and crossed her arms in a silent huff.

"Is something the matter?" Cinder asked her subordinate, not acknowledging the success she had delivered.

Emerald bit her lip, hesitant to admit any tangible signs that she was having second thoughts about their whole endeavor, but Cinder did not actually need the younger woman to say anything to know what she was thinking. She just wanted Emerald to speak her troubles aloud, so that she could slay them where they stood.

" I-I just don't know. Things seemed so perfect at first. But with what has been happening recently…" She trailed off, not confident enough to propose any of the less desirable outcomes from their admitted acts of treason.

"Everything is going just fine, all according to plan." Cinder smoothly placated. "There's nothing to worry about, in fact, I think that these two unexpected players may help things turn out for the better." She looked down to the yellow and black pinpricks far below. A lesser woman might have pitied the unfortunate young warriors, but Cinder had been steeled long ago to the suffering of others. One could only take so much empathy, before they shut off. Now, she could do what she had to do. What this world needed most right now.

The road to hell is pathed with good intentions.

* * *

She had not intended to sleep all day, but as she let out a plaintive groan and glanced at the clock, she realized it had been a good long time since her friends had departed for the stadium. She felt bad that she was abandoning them in this critical moment, but despite her usual self-absorption, she felt assured that Ruby would successfully take her place. She would probably never admit it out loud, but their leader had perhaps benefitted the most from their joint sessions as of late. The girl assumed and amalgamated the tricks and techniques illustrated to her by the younger males, that she would not have been surprised if they had somehow been separated from birth. It was like they were two sides of the same coin. Or three. Whatever. She could still hardly think with how bad her head hurt.

She had once heard her sister talking about such an experience after staying out all night drinking. She had hissed the word 'hangover' as she nursed a glass of orange juice from a similarly pitiful position under so many equally fluffy blankets many months ago. Or had it been years? Seeing her sister yesterday revived all sorts of memories, that while not all painful, were certainly not helping her headache at the moment! She did twig on to the fact that her sister had specifically asked for two things in her debilitated state. Well, three if you counted not telling their father about the incident. But the material things required were fluids, and quiet. Having already had ample proportions of the latter, Weiss dragged her carcass out of bed in search of the former.

After retrieving a glass from her night table, one which was not too encrusted with water-spots, though she would hardly care if it had been, she shuffled her way carefully to the bathroom to fill said glass with the closest available water source. She immediately downed the lukewarm water after she had poured it, their dorm's tap never having tasted so good. After placing the glass gently down on the rim of the sink, she hazarded a glance at herself in the mirror hung directly above the faucet.

Damn. She did not hope to look so good with the way she felt, but she had not expected it to be this bad. Her normally porcelain-white skin looked stretched and tarnished. Her hair a tangled mess of frost-covered branches in a snowstorm. There were deep bags under her bloodshot eyes and she couldn't help but make the comparison to one of those awful zombie movies Ruby had forced upon all of them in a repeat of their team-bonding sleep-over, sans the interlopers this time, thankfully.

Thinking of half of them made Weiss's blood run cold, the warmth absorbed from the sunbeam-heated cocoon evaporating like the water from her glass, which she nearly knocked off the edge as she grippe the sink to steady herself.

It was all coming flooding back to her, now. The water had re-hydrated and re-engaged her mind just enough to recollect what had put her in this pitiful state she was now in. What was that, that she had seen last night? It felt so dark, so completely full of hate that it radiated outward like a furnace. Her own anger was but a childish tantrum in comparison. And, now that she thought about it, it was. She had been nothing more than upset at what seemed to her to be the injustice in the situation. Why should so many people be passing her up when she was a Schnee, destined for greatness?

It was in the clarity of dawn, that her sense came back and she realized how foolish this un-vocalized statement now seemed. She had purposefully cast herself out from under the protection of her father in order to prove herself past her name. She had done it to prove that she, Weiss was strong on her own, and not because of her family's money or prestige. But now, she wasn't even sure if that was true. The strength that Sasuke had demonstrated, if that was indeed who the specter of death presumed to be under the cloak of darkness, was so many levels above her own that she doubted she would ever be able to compete against the boy again knowing that he could end the fight like that any time he chose.

That anger, she could never hope to match it. Sure, she was abrasive as a person, but she liked to think of herself as generally good. The brooding boy whom she had fought, though, had consistently professed to them all, that he was not. And now, she was finally starting to believe him.

Still, how had she ended back here? She couldn't remember. But it would be a reasonable assumption to know that she had survived, do undoubtedly to the largess of her opponent. When she had fought last night, it had been a fight to the death. That much was crystal clear to her, even in her sleep-addled state. But she hadn't died, why? For someone who so vehemently expressed his dastardly nature, why had he spared her, when it had appeared for all intents and purposes to be her demise?

This path of thought quickly steepened into a slippery slope with a steep drop at the end that in her partially rectified, but still very much miserable state, she was not adept enough to scale. She reigned herself back in at the last moment, before she began asking further questions such as 'where had he gotten so much anger?' or 'what about Naruto, how does he deal with it? Is he the same way, underneath?' These questions would be shelved for later as she mechanically refilled her water glass and shambled carefully back to her blanket pile.

She set the glass carefully on the night table, far away from the edge and slinked her way in head first under the coverlet, writhing around until she found the indentation she had carefully molded in the several hours prior and let out a small sigh of contentment at being back in her happy place. A sigh, which quickly turned into a groan as her mind finally replayed the display of the digital clock at her bedside. It was 10:00 am, and without a doubt the matches would be starting soon. There was a good chance that the two members of her team, one which had taken her place, would be pitted against another duo in this first match. It should have been her duty as teammate to cheer them on, but right now, she didn't feel much like cheering.

She also noted that if she chose, she could rummage around in the clothes that she had discarded last night (when had she done that, by the way?) for her scroll, and watch the televised performance remotely. But she did not even feel up to this. And so she resolved to rouse herself in a couple of hours, if her team had not returned by then, locate her missing electronic device and catch up on what was transpiring in the floating arena so far above her duffed head.

* * *

Naruto clutched his head in dismay when he saw the screens rapidly flipping through pictures settle on four very familiar mugshots. 'Oh, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening.'

"Hey! Look at that! What luck, first round is you and us. What are the chances, huh Naruto?"

They were, as it turned out, far better than any of the youths could have suspected. As Cinder smirked to herself high up in her bastion, scroll reciprocating what the superimposed screens surrounding the stadium portended.

Naruto had known that it was always a possibility that he would be pitted against the abbreviated team RWBY. He had even begun to steel himself against the possibility when he had first been presented with the possibility including Ruby instead of Weiss, whom he was not at all ashamed to say, he would have found it easier to hit. But after the impromptu encounter with Emerald, a grave feeling of trepidation and foreboding had wormed its way into his conscious. She had tasked him with winning, which normally would not have been averse to his own desires, but now he very much feared the consequences if he should fail in this endeavor. There was, deep within him, a dark chuckle and twisted elation as well. Hoping, snapping at the thought of being able to punish anyone responsible for hurting his friends. But Naruto suppressed this foreign entity under so many practiced barriers he would erect to sequester himself and his thoughts for the upcoming fight.

The time for which arrived all too soon, as Naruto found himself and his partner, now having banished all traces of fatigue he had previously exhibited, had somehow made it down to the tiled arena floor without his conscious knowledge. To his consternation, thoughts were whipping through his mind at a mile a minute. Why couldn't his mind decide to work like this when he was mired in Oobleck's class? As it was now, it was only serving to distract him.

Something he could ill afford, regarding the confident smiles plastered on both Ruby and her sister's face. He even had to admit to himself that they both had ample reason to be looking forward to this fight in anticipation. Though none of the members of team RWBY had yet to best the two younger huntsmen, the last few times they had sparred Ruby had managed to get quite close to scoring a debilitating hit on the blond. For them, all it took was one. One slip up at a critical moment, a lapse in concentration or perhaps- casting a glance to his side, concern worming its way onto his composed features- dulled senses from lack of sleep. Or even just a matter of pure, hapless luck could bring them down, now.

But he couldn't let that happen, **they** wouldn't let that happen. Despite the river which kept narrowing and widening in maddening undulations poised constantly between them, Naruto knew he could count on Sasuke put forth his best effort for this. He needn't put any of the added burden he had just been saddled with on his shoulders. Besides, he would be more effective that way.

He also felt a small pang of guilt at realizing that he would once again have to trump his best of friends in this world, publicly this time. It did not seem fair. He and Sasuke had not only had several years more experience in fighting human opponents. It was more, it felt just wrong. They weren't supposed to be there at all. They were foreigners, an alien plague that for all they knew could be spreading and infecting everything they touched. It was like they were impeding the natural order of things, usurping the right that the natural inhabitants of this world to live their lives and succeed. But Ruby did not exude any hint that these thoughts had bothered her, or even crossed her mind. Indeed, she reminded Naruto of himself on so many occasions, so long ago now, never admitting surrender, and taking each happening as its own, unique instance.

A small smile sprouted then, being exposed to the one opposite himself. He should have known, happiness was so much more endemic than worry or sorrow.

"I hope you don't hold anything back!" Yang cupped her mouth and shouted across the still barren field as Ruby and she dropped into more combative stances, not even waiting for the terrain to reveal itself.

"No need to worry about that." Naruto replied, loud enough that only Sasuke could have possibly heard him, though he did not indicate that he did. They both simply reciprocated the actions of their opposites, calmly unsheathing their weapons and assuming their individual stances.

There were words surrounding them, flashing pictures on the screen. A world gyrating and swirling in the ethereal peripheries of their vision, but the four individuals were invested heart and soul into one another as they stood on that otherwise empty stage. What was going on around them, the thousands upon thousands of voices drowned out, the dissembled words had no bearing on what was happening far below. They were all waiting, for a signal. One that would come from their world, and might just so coincide with the one moving to a largo tempo around them.

They felt, more than saw the trees sprout around them. Their natural presence breathing into them a nostalgic confidence. A tumultuous northern sea washing in behind the two women bled into their sphere, the salt water air invading their sense of smell and the crash of waves assaulting their hearing.

A rouge wave, slightly larger than the others gnashing their peaks in the background provided the anticipated signal, and like a bolt of lightning from the darkening sky above them, all four were off, upon each other.

Even without her semblance, Ruby was fast. Faster even than she had demonstrated in their spars not a few days hence. Had she improved in this short time? Was she holding back? Or was it just the adrenaline that was forcing her past her natural barriers? Whatever the case, Naruto could still keep pace, enough to duck underneath her first swing meant to reap those golden locks like a field of wheat, as well as the next which followed as soon as Ruby completed her twirl, the blade of the scythe passing underneath him this time with a rush of bisected air.

Naruto retaliated with his own strike, already airborne using gravity to pull his arm down in a vertical strike to force the young woman either back, or to her knees. She blocked it with the haft of Crescent Rose, doing neither, but demonstrating that not only was she faster than he anticipated, she was stronger than she looked as well. He guessed she had to be, to be able to swing that massive weapon around like she did. A flickering image of another mammoth weapon and its master flicked him in the head as kicked off from his attack and flipped back to gain some space and reassess what his plan of action would be.

It wasn't like he did not have experience fighting his friend, but never quite like this. In their spars, they had mostly stuck with pure weapons and hand-to-hand, reserving their semblance for situations, well, like this. It was suggested by Sasuke, in the guise of evening the playing field, but in reality serving as an excuse not to raise any unwanted questions if one or the other happened to slip up and use the same technique in their presence.

But now, he knew he couldn't afford to hold back. A single hand-seal formed behind his buckler and five copies of himself spawned to life in a pentagonal formation around the original. He had come a long way since he had practically beaten this technique into his head. Not only was he getting practice forming them with a single hand, he was learning how to leverage more use out of each clone, finding that more was not always better. Sure, there were times when one just needed to deluge a target, but most of the time a more delicate touch was needed.

Though what came next could hardly be classified as 'delicate'. The now six Naruto rushed Ruby, their original formation devolving into a maddening game of memory as the original Naruto was soon lost in the continual pairing and weaving copies. Ruby tried her best to keep track of her friend, but it was hopeless as the first two attacks reached her almost simultaneously. This did not seem to slow her down, as she blocked the two strikes opposite her with the butt and top of Crescent Rose. With the shaft in the air she deflected one blow upward and turning her weapon end over end she twirled it like a deadly baton and brought the handle down on the collar of one and the business end into the other, dispelling the two with a single, swift move.

Another Naruto came at her from behind and she knocked his stab to the side with the back of the blade. The Naruto she now faced punched out with their buckler in a jackhammer of a strike which even though she managed to block, sent her skidding back and right into the path of another Naruto. She tangled with this one for a few beats, exchanging a handful of blocks and blows before the Naruto that had been behind her caught up and the one she was then fighting disengaged to let the other Naruto have room to maneuver.

Or so she thought, as the other two Naruto emerged from either side of the retreating one. She was suddenly forced to either change direction to intercept this new threat, but then turn her back on the one rapidly approaching, or vice versa. Either one would leave her in a less than desirable position. So, she split the difference. Pointing the barrel end of Crescent Rose down at the ground, she let lose a shot which launched her up in the air and out of the reach of the swarm of blonds.

She knew she couldn't afford to be idle in her airborne position, the blond was way to crafty to just let her float gracefully back to the ground. She made to raise Crescent Rose for a powerful downward swing upon reentry, but as the three prowling blonds waited in anticipation, she suddenly twisted a little further in the air, bringing the shaft above her now, and firing another shot which sent her to the ground just behind the single Naruto that had been trying to get the drop on her.

She saw the expression of surprise it wore, just before she bisected it and it evaporated into a cloud of vapor. She suppressed an involuntary wince at the look it had shot her. Despite knowing that it was undoubtedly a clone, she couldn't help but feel a little bad for 'killing' a more or less genuine copy of her friend. But remorse was soon abandoned as the remaining Naruto seemed intent on extracting revenge for their fallen brethren.

They attacked her with a ferocity she had yet to experience from her blond friend, and despite the added advantage she had gained by removing the weights she had been training with for the past few months-she had been inspired ironically by one of the blond boy's rambling stories of a friend who had done the same- she could barely keep pace, much less counter. She had been training hard for this moment, and it was a little frustrating to see that she was still behind the younger fighter. Still, she was not done yet. She wondered how her sister was fairing, but dared not hazard a glance to find out.

Yang did not have much time either to fathom her sibling's position either, as Sasuke very quickly met her head on charge with one of his own, momentarily shocking Yang who had not yet known the dark-haired boy to take such an direct offense. He was not expressing any unfamiliarity with the tactic, though, as he lashed out at her in a flurry of stabs and slashes that she was handily able to either dodge or block, but had yet to gain a moment in which to retaliate.

Suddenly, her opening came in a sliver of time. A single, movement, a shuffling misstep and a hand that dropped a centimeter more than it should have. Yang did not even realize when here body caught on, only that her arm was following Ember Celica as Sasuke appeared to catch on to his faux pas. Not soon enough, Yang knew.

"Take this!"

She exclaimed as a wide grin split her face just as a ball of flame spit from the chamber of her gauntlet towards the still exposed Uchiha. This was more than just a well-placed hit from the woman, this was one of the first clean hits she would score on either of the two, and she was going to make the most of it. She felt a little bad about it, because she had seen Sasuke looking a little bit weathered up in the bleachers before the match. That was part of the reason she had sequestered the boy for herself, while leaving her sister to deal with the perpetual motion machine, aka. Naruto Uzumaki. Was that a little unfair on both her and the young man? Yes, but she was going to take whatever advantage she could!

And soon she realized that she would need it, as her fist impacted the expected target, deforming the rather roguishly good looks with a bone shattering punch, before the once-handsome visage became a little **too** deformed, and started to splinter? The alabaster skin and umber eyes disappeared and were replaced with a uniform textured pattern of browns. A log!?

The offending piece of arbor received the brunt of her attack before she could pull anything back, and exploded in a Jackson Pollock of flaming slivers. Yang Shielded her face and eyes with her gauntlets, momentarily blinded by the explosion. She should have known it was a trap. She should have known that the young prodigy would not have made so careless a mistake.

Sasuke smirked knowingly to himself as he made note of this. This match would be far easier than even he had thought. He was about to deplete whatever Aura she had left after that explosion with a single, well-placed strike to the back of her unshielded neck. It would send her Aura into the red, but she herself should receive hardly a welt from his effort. Still, she really should have known better by now.

The trouble was, she did.

"Gotcha."

Yang twirled around with another flaming punch in the cup of her slingshot arm, ready to hurl it at the looming presence. Without even having to open her eyes, she let it lose right at the young man who was now placed in a very similar situation of having no time to abort his attack.

The two attacks approached their targets almost simultaneously, the right hook creeping ever closer to his face in frustratingly slow arc, that no matter how long he glared at it, couldn't seem to dodge. But why on earth was she doing this? Sure, the punch would hurt like hell, but she too would still receive the full length of the dust-infused steel headed straight for her smirking face.

But neither blow would connect, at least, not to where he thought they would. They would, in fact, connect with each other as Yang pulled her weighted fist back towards herself, just barely missing Sasuke's nose, but putting it right on target to impact right on the boy's knuckles, clenched white around the hilt of his sword.

There was simply no way he could retain possession of the blade as his fingers were all but crushed into uselessness by the young woman's killer strike. He gritted his teeth in both frustration and rapidly growing pain as he retreated back as fast as he could, his sword going skittering across the tile floor. He flexed his fingers experimentally, wincing at a piercing sharpness in the tip of his middle and ring fingers. He could probably still fight with them, and without his sword. He had grown up without one after all.

He was quickly forced to do so when an incendiary Yang shot out at his retreating form, and he was forced to backflip to avoid the devastating strike which tore up the ground he had just occupied. He pulled out a single kunai in a reverse grip as he landed in a perfectly balanced crouch. He was ready now, for the next one.

Which never came, as he saw Yang stop her assault stone cold and just stand there gob smacked in his direction. He blinked, curious as to what could make her suddenly so dissuaded from attacking him. Was there something behind him? He saw Yang point, but it was clearly at him, and not something behind him. Which only confirmed the fact that he felt nothing lurking there. So what was wrong?

"You're standing on the water!"

Ah. That was it. How had they not noticed that until now? Well, to be fair, they had only ever fought on dry ground to this point. Hell, they might not have even seen the two of them tree-walk yet. Sasuke toyed with the idea briefly, but only just. He was not about to waste an opportunity like this, and he wanted to end any questions before they were asked. Sure, she was certainly going to approach him afterwards, but by then he should have thought up a decent excuse.

He threw the kunai in his hand directly at the black hole gaping at him, and that seemed to know Yang back into the battle as she was forced to doge or get poked. She jerked her head to the right, but before she could reacquire her target, a salvo of shuriken forced her to break off her attention for a little bit longer while she dodged them. Just enough for Sasuke to finish completing a series of hand-seals as he sped over the water towards the shore and her.

"That's just not fair!"

Yang cried defiantly as she was forced further back to avoid a burst of beach-ball sized fireballs. Damn it! Fire was supposed to be her thing!

Seeking to quell both her frustration and to test this theory, she decided that a little dose of rash was needed. The last fireball was speeding right at her, but instead of dodging or retreating further to seek shelter in the very flammable woods to her back, she stuck her foot down and charged at it. With a cry of rage, she struck the sphere like it was a volleyball, and she was sending it back over the net. And against all probability, that is almost exactly what happened.

The fireball, contained in a thin coating of Sasuke's chakra to keep it stable, received a little bit more 'juice' so to speak as Yang unknowingly let it leach a little bit of her Aura, and rebounded in the direction of its summoner. This reversal of momentum was imparted with an added vector of velocity from Yang's frustration being unleashed, as well as a good dose of fire dust from her gauntlets. So as soon as Sasuke took two steps onto the shore, he was faced with another reversal in the tide of battle, as his own technique came flying towards him, faster and hotter than it had been when he had sent it.

Shit.

* * *

"Shit."

Jaune muttered to himself dejectedly as he watched the chaos unfold from his seat in the spectator's box.

Pyrrha, who had declined to sit in the contestant's demarcated section in favor of keeping the rest of team, though in particular their leader, company, had heard this utterance, however. She turned to face her fearless leader as he stared despondently at the combat down below.

"Something the matter, Jaune?"

"Hm?"

For once, his attention had been focused on someone else's fight, and not in defense of his own life. But the clarity brought about from intense battle was the same, and he lost himself vicariously in the combat.

Pyrrha smiled gently as she received this distracted reply. It showed a certain amount of development on behalf of the young man, who had come into this academic year with little promise, though an admitted mind for strategy. It was admittedly a little disheartening on her own behalf, however, as they had spent little time as a team as of late. It had been up to her to ensure that the rest of them were not slacking off in their diligence as she knew Jaune was giving it his all to improve for the sake of the rest of them. She knew it had been tough for all of them, but sincerely hoped that after the tournament, they could once again reconcile and improve as a team.

Jaune replayed what his subconscious had recorded for him moments before. "Oh, no, nothing is really the matter." Except that it was clear even from this great distance that while he had improved, even admitting this fact to himself, he was nowhere near being able to compete at the level being demonstrated now. "Yang sure has gotten better, hasn't she?" It was true, the blonde woman had become slower to anger, heavy doses of humility providing some of this cure, and in becoming so she was more able to apply tactics and finesse to her Amazonian strength.

"Yes, she has." Pyrrha nodded her agreement. "But so have you, Jaune." This startled the young man who had once again turned back to the combat, where Sasuke had just barely managed to scrape past his own re-directed fireball by substituting with his own sword and renewing his attack, this time sticking to moves that didn't require the use of Aura. He looked with a genuine look of confusion at his red-haired teammate radiating confidence, in what he could not fathom.

"I mean it, Jaune. Just in the little time we spent in the team battle, I could see you have improved drastically." She placed a hand on his shoulder and her smile dropped slightly as he flinched and looked at his feet. Anywhere but at her. "Maybe…"

"No!" She squeezed his shoulder a little harder than perhaps she should have, but Jaune had indeed come a long way from the weak little boy who had started many months ago, and he refused to admit that it hurt slightly. "You have gotten better, Jaune. Trust me." She pleaded with him, frustrated that despite his advancement in technique, he had yet to gain the confidence that would be necessary to use it to its fullest extent. An idea on how to rectify this problem began manifesting itself to her.

"In fact, why don't you fight with me in the doubles match?"

Jaune could not believe what he was hearing, and stared wide-eyed at his partner like she had sprouted another head, though given what he had seen the two younger boys do in the past months, this might not have surprised him as much as it should have.

"Pyrrha… no. I couldn't do that. I-" Any refutation that he had been about to express was mitigated by Pyrrha's growing ire. " **Yes** , you could. Jaune, you have to believe in yourself. Do you think those two got to where they are by doubting themselves? Do you think they at any time doubted that what they were doing would help them in the long run? No matter how much it hurt?" She was desperate to use the two youths whom Jaune seemed to aspire to be as examples, and that seemed to gain acceptance to the blond man next to her.

No. Pyrrha was right, those two never seemed to have any doubt that all of their hard work would pay off. Every time they got knocked down, they would get back up. Especially that younger boy, who looked so much like him. 'Where but for the grace of god, go I….' Naruto was not a genius, not in the sense that his partner was. Yet, despite whatever setback he was presented with initially, Naruto just seemed to surmount it through sheer force of will. Where did he get the resilience to do this? Jaune just wished he could leech a drop or two of this vinegar from the younger man.

But before his sinking mood pushed him over the edge, he objectively recalled the past few weeks of their grueling sessions. Though he had ended up prone on the grass far more times than he would have liked to admit to anyone, he had noticed a distinct lack of chastisement from the more disparaging boy. Sasuke had not had been overly hard in his criticisms of Jaune's technique the past few times he had beaten the boy. It had shifted from derision, to simple remarks about placement, slight timing adjustments. And of course, then there was the other one. Every time Naruto had knocked him on his ass, he was always there, with a smile and hand to help him back up. No matter how depressed Jaune got after being defeated ad infinitum day in and day out, Naruto was always there to give him a pat on his back and an uplifting smile.

It was infectious just thinking about it. Jaune found the corners of his mouth tightening as he looked back down, this time locating the blond fighter whose last clone had been dispelled and the original slapped like a baseball into the recently sprouted woods. Jaune had no doubts that within the copse he would not fail to right himself and reinsert himself in the fight with a redoubled vigor.

"You're right, Pyrrha." He gazed back into the gratified emerald orbs, sparkling at him. "Thanks."

"Of course she's right!"

The two of them jumped as a pink-haired Cheshire grin inserted itself between the two of them.

"If you weren't strong, how did you beat that herd of Ursai and save the Pancake Princess?"

"Nora, I keep telling you, that was a dream."

The two partners couldn't help but chuckle despite the interruption to their private huddle. They were, after all, a four-man team.

"But Ren! Jaune didn't believe in himself! And if he didn't believe in himself, he might not really exist! And then where would we be? We would need to find a new team captian- Oooh! Maybe I could be captain? Captain Nora! But wait, then who would be Nora?!"

"I don't think it works like that, Nora."

As Ren was helping the bubbly girl sort out her newfound existential crisis, Jaune merely chuckled to himself as the whole thing rearranged itself into a more digestible logic in his own mind.

'Maybe it does work like that. After all, who else can be me, but me?"

Jaune searched again for the blond teen to no avail. Still, it did not bother him that he could not locate the boy. Jaune was beginning to realize that he did not need the two of them to validate his existence. Though Naruto indeed looked like he could have been his younger brother, he was not them, nor were they a substitute for him. His team made that abundantly clear.

* * *

"Yeeeeeahhh!"

Ruby let out a cry of exertion as she tried to clear-cut the surrounding woods in search of the blond-haired boy who had vanished into them moments earlier, spontaneously reappearing only to harass her with hit and run attacks. This guerrilla war was wearing down her reserves, and she knew in a battle of attrition, the other boy would always outlast her. So, she had no other option but to remove his hiding place.

She felled another tree and out of its branches like an irate owl deprived of its home shot the blue-clad teen. He unleashed a hailstorm of shuriken as it appeared that he too was growing tired of their game of hide and seek. Ruby deflected the handful that would have made contact, before she caught on to the subtle hissing and wisp of sulfur on the air. Knowing instinctually what kind of threat this represented, she flipped back into a remaining cover of trees as the heat and sound from an explosion consuming the spot she had just been in radiated against her skin and made her ears ring, despite her Aura protecting her for the majority.

She whirled around to accost the blond who now flew at her in a speed rivaling her own. She cursed herself as she realized that he was once again using his buckler she had made him as a funnel for his wind-nature to launch him like a blond torpedo. He came barreling into her scythe, the small shield nearly knocking Crescent Rose out of her grip. But she was able to recover and block the next strike that came from the short sword, but winced as she felt a small pinch as something unbelievably sharp licked at the barrier her Aura made around her skin.

'He's using his wind nature with the sword now?"

Though she could not see it, she knew this to be the case as the leftover dust and floating ash from the explosion was caught up in an invisible Jetstream around the boy's blade. Now she really could not afford to be caught flat footed for even a single moment. Hell, she couldn't even afford to defend closely now, if the blade of wind could extend that far past the physical metal. She would just have to kick it up a notch herself.

The lingering rose petals were set alight by the miniature forest-fire now consuming the area around them. Naruto could hardly blink as the massive weapon collided with his shield just as he raised it to defend himself. He grit his teeth at the strain, and nearly fell forward as the tension was suddenly released, only to be reinstated in his right arm as it shot out to defend against another Semblance-infused slash which came at him from the other side. The tide had turned once again, and he could not afford to let the girl set the pace for the remainder of the fight.

As the weight from his arm was alleviated, he forced his own energy through his hand-held shield in a controlled burst, steeling his muscles with the same energy to keep himself moving along with the shield's trajectory.

Soon it was a dance of fireflies, to any spectator that could see through the growing smoke and debris they witnessed only black and blue bullets leaving wispy contrails through the central pillar of black slowly consuming the battlefield.

Suddenly, Ruby found herself weightless in the turbulent air just above the flames, petals buffeted around her like stars in the blackness, riding on the thermal winds. She looked down in alarm as an ebony glint gazed directly up at her in a single, fractal eye. Too late she realized that Naruto had managed to sneak under her, and she could do nothing but wait in gut-wrenching anticipation for the strike that was sure to come.

Crouched on the grown like an archer, or rather, like an arrow himself about to be loosed, Naruto pointed himself towards the flying girl and released a pent-up burst of chakra into his shield that should take him faster than he ever had gone before, straight at Ruby.

But what did happen was something that neither of the two could have suspected. One second Ruby was looking down the barrel of a Naruto-cannon perched among a sea of flame, the next she was in the eye of a hurricane, the swirling winds expanding every direction radially from the spot where she had just been focused. Everywhere, that was, but where she was. Instead, a single, fist sized piece of metal flew past her nose as she fell unmolested down to the ground.

She was able to catch herself on her feet in a crouch, using Crescent Rose to help her lift herself off of the razed earth. Everything had been blown away in a 20-meter radius, and some trees had been toppled and were leaning against others struggling to stay upright. The flames had even been snuffed out by the intense wind that had accompanied what might as well have been a meteor strike which landed in the arena. But then where was-

"Naruto!"

She looked on at the boy bent double on his knees in horror as he clasped his left arm, or rather, what remained of it. It was, fortunately mostly intact, though the skin had been all but peeled away like a banana to expose the corded muscle, and even some stained white bone underneath. His other arm had dropped the sword in favor of clasping some of the loose strands of skin, pressing them back into place as best as he could.

Ruby was shocked and horrified at this outcome. She felt sick to her stomach, not only at the sight, but also the knowledge that it was her gift that had done this to her friend. Without thinking she dropped Crescent Rose and made to run over to the injured boy. How had this even happened? Shouldn't his Aura have protected against something like this?

Though his entire body was tensed and he was shivering in apparent shock, Naruto had yet to truly feel any pain from the explosion, the nerve endings having been torn away along with the skin for the most part. He instead just stared at his arm in morbid fascination as he tried to work out exactly what had happened.

His mind dredged up a faint memory of Sasuke shooting him a brief warning against using his chakra in combination with the weapons. He had made note of it at the time, but after combating the White Fang using just such a technique, it became more and more natural for him and he had forgotten to take heed of the warning. And this was the result.

Panic and fear overcame him then as he looked up when his name was called, to see Ruby running towards him devoid of her scythe.

No!

He couldn't let her forfeit like this, he couldn't afford to lose despite this setback. He had to cover it up somehow.

Adrenaline pushed passed the shock, and his right hand fished around in the fold of his juban and he extracted a handful of smoke bombs which he threw between himself and the oncoming girl, who just looked at him in a face of absolute confusion, and no small part worry. This look hurt far more than his arm did, now that some of the feeling was already starting to return to him, as the demonic chakra in his gut went to work on repairing the damaged epidermal and nerve endings.

He quickly grabbed his sword, tucking it into the back of his hakama and disappeared into the growing cloud of white smoke and into the safety of the trees.

'Naruto…'

Ruby could only look on in distraught worry for her friend. She had very clearly seen the grave wound he had inflicted upon himself, and while knew that she was supposed to be fighting the boy, was more worried for any permanent damage he might have caused himself. She did not know why he chose to flee from her, the proctors, if they had seen the outcome, should have stopped the fight immediately.

* * *

She had to stop the fight immediately!

Glynda Goodwitch ran through the hallways as quickly as she could to try and reach the commentators box where she could get Oobleck and Port to halt the match. She had observed what had transpired amongst the smoke and haze with one of Ozpin's micro-cameras flying high above the arena. It wasn't good enough to put display on the monitors, but was invaluable for reviewing fights for later reference.

Or in case something like this happened.

She cursed herself for allowing the two of them to participate in the tournament. The patch that Qrow had whipped up for the scroll software to interpret the two boy's Aura had worked fairly well, extraordinarily well, actually, at first. But she should have known that one of the two would come up with something unexpected to try the extent of the software. At the moment, according to her own scroll, Naruto's Aura had taken a hit, but was far from in the red, so under normal regulations she couldn't call the match. But she also could not let the public catch sight of the gruesome results. Though this tournament was a gladiatorial style combat, the public did not take kindly to blood being shed, and especially from two combatants so young, it would surely be a scandal.

Arriving at the labeled silver door, she didn't even bother with the button to open it as a swipe with her riding crop overrode whatever software held the door closed and she threw herself into the room. Only to come up against a tall, green suited barrier, calmly awaiting her and sipping brown, presumably caffeinated liquid from a sullied-white coffee cup.

"Ozpin!"

"Glynda." Ozpin replied, seemingly either unperturbed or unaware of the degenerating situation they had on their hands.

"Ozpin, we have to call the match now!"

Her exclamation and abrupt entrance caused the seated Oobleck and Port to turn around in their swiveling chairs to look at the frantic woman questioningly.

"Let's take this outside, shall we?" Ozpin quietly ushered her out of the room, and out of the gaze of the two commentators before they could ask what the headmaster's assistant had meant by that desperate request. Against all of her better judgment and to her consternation, she allowed herself to be lead back out into the hallway while Ozpin waved a hand and the steel doors fixed themselves and shut with finality behind them, leaving them alone in the hallway.

"Ozpin!" Though she had allowed many things over the past few days, against many of her better wishes and judgments, she would not bend on this matter. She had to pull the two of them out of there before anything worse befell the two.

"Glynda, I am aware of what has happened." That answered one question. "But I am not going to call the match, not yet." She couldn't help but stare at the man she had worked next to for years in abject shock and horror. She trusted her life to this man, pledged her life to him, true, but the two in jeopardy at the moment had not. How could he leave them in their position?

Reading the question on his aid and friend's lips, Ozpin sighed. "I know what you want to say, but hear me out. Those two were more than prepared for any risk the task I asked of them would prevent. You cannot kid yourself into believing that they are innocent and unaware of what hazards could befall them." Glynda looked furious and ready to vehemently object, but Ozpin cut her off once again. "That being said, I am not being heartless. I am allowing it to continue because that is what they want. You saw how Naruto reacted. He behaved exactly as a warrior would, retreat, recover, and reengage. Neither of the two are ready to give up, yet."

Ozpin placed a placating hand on the doubting woman's shoulder. "Have a little bit more faith in them, Glynda. You're many years too late to be their mother." She bit back whatever reflexive retort in defense of her age or in denial of the accusation had been on her lips. She did not exactly see herself as a parental figure to either of the two boys. But still…

She could not deny she had grown attached to the two, especially the blond, in the past few months. In the past months, she had seen just how damaged the two really were. Though they were indeed meticulously sculpted warriors, they were also children. Children who had the weight of the world, perhaps two worlds on their shoulders, and she just wanted to alleviate that burden, however slightly.

But Ozpin was right. Their pride, their sense of duty would rebuke her efforts to help them in this. It almost brought her to tears, the realization that they would probably rather die than have her rescue them from whatever danger they placed themselves in. And if not now, not here, then whatever trials they were sure to face in the coming days were sure to push them equally to the brink of life and death. And there wouldn't be anything she could do then, either. No matter how hard she denied it to herself, those two were not, nor ever were, her responsibility.

But, she furrowed her brows at the man looking down at her in veiled confidence, they were his. They put their faith in him, and he in them. And neither could afford to let the other down.

* * *

Sasuke ducked down underneath a wild haymaker thrown by Yang, feeling the furnace of heat pass right over his ebony locks, singing a few.

He had been reduced to simply dodging for some time now, and though stamina was not his strongest suit, he was making progress as the older woman became more and more frustrated with her inability to hit the wily Uchiha. He could feel the building anger radiating from her, and smirked to himself in anticipation of victory as he dodged another strike, skirting around his opponent and bringing him ever closer back to his abandoned weapon.

He hated that he seemed to rely on his sword so much these days, but it was beyond compare when it came to expanding his attack distance. When facing another opponent as fast, strong, and tall as Yang, it couldn't be beat. Not unless he were to resort to his Sharingan, which he hesitated to do. He had already revealed one trick that he perhaps should not have, and he definitely did not want that cat out of the bag. Even though in her own crimson-eyed state, Yang was not certain to retain that sort of detail.

Another punch was about to be hurled at him, and he swept his leg across and back, in one move tripping up his opponent, and sending his sword which had been in the path of his foot, airborne and into his awaiting grasp. Now it was time to strike back.

Rolling with the cheap trip, Yang fell to her hands and wasted no movement bringing her feet up and over for an axe kick, which with his blade returned, Sasuke deflected with a flick. He spun around for another slice which Yang could only hope to block with her two gauntlets bolstered against her face.

Though he had warned his partner against just such a maneuver, Sasuke judged that his own weapon had enough durability left in it for him to attempt this maneuver. His sword caught alight in an orange blaze as it hammered against the golden bracers. The flames flared and tendrils licked into the barrels of Ember Celica, reaching deep within their mechanism and out to the waiting ammunition stored helically around the woman's arms.

A fireball, far larger than any that had been thrown around previous erupted around the pair, as Sasuke quickly leapt back to avoid the most damage he could from the dust-fueled explosion. Through the all-consuming fire, he could see the charred and bedraggled form of Yang be flung up and away from the concussive blast, falling into a heap of black ash and soot. With a flick, he extinguished the blaze on his weapon, lest his own chakra cause more damage than it had no doubt already. He appraised the slowly rising ashen figure warily, waiting for it to either collapse or exhibit some kind of signal that it had received damage. He looked up confusedly at the projected displays, seeing that yes, he had inflicted some major damage on Yang's Aura, but not, she was not down for the count.

"You…."

That menacing address sent shivers down his spine as he recalled much the same look his pink-haired teammate had given his blond friend ages ago. He watched as two orbs of blazing crimson sprouted from the blackened figure.

"…Ruined my hair!"

Such a vain concern would normally make Sasuke sigh in exasperation, but the killing intent which had been imbued in the accusation had left him breathless. He had not felt this frightened since he had faced that snake in the Forest of Death before their other performance tournament.

He was not going to freeze this time though, as a blast of golden, flaming Aura consumed the blonde woman, burning away the residual ash, Sasuke himself braced for the hellfire that was sure to accompany it.

He was not disappointed.

Despite now lacking ammunition for her damaged gauntlets, the blow that impacted Sasuke's footprint shattered the ground and the resulting shockwave temporarily placated the tumultuous sea behind the two, as a razing wind blew away the peaks of the crashing waves. As he landed far enough away from the raging woman, he threw caution to the wind and activated his bloodline. She was perhaps, even scarier now that his Sharingan could pick up every arc and ripple in the Aura that surrounded the furious woman. Sasuke realized a little too late, the mistake he had made in not finishing off the woman as quickly as possible. Recalling what he knew of the woman's semblance. Such abilities, he felt, were a little unfair.

Of course, he was one to talk, as he once again, and with greater ease, dodged the bouquet of strikes tossed at him in the span of the next few seconds. He must have counted at least 50, but between dodging them, even he could not be sure.

Unwilling to make the same mistake twice, Sasuke knew he had to finish this fight as soon as possible. He had no idea what was taking Naruto so long with his, though to be fair, Yang had proven far more challenge than he initially thought, and so it was prudent to assume that Ruby had presented a few tricks for his blond teammate to overcome.

They felt more than heard the explosion, the concussive wall of wind, despite being diffused by the remaining trees spilled over the top of their canopy and buffeted the two combatants outside the forested half. Yang looked over, concern for her sister overriding prudent concentration on the fight. Sasuke held enough confidence that his partner would survive whatever foolishness he had brought upon himself and was not going to let this distraction go to waste.

He set upon Yang once again, deciding to pull out one more trick in order to end the match as quickly as he could, and go assist Naruto if it turned out he did indeed need it. He molded his chakra as if he were going to produce a Chidori, but instead of directing it to his palm in its fully molded state, he simply let the electric energy be conducted through his arm and into the metal tang of his sword. His right arm felt a slight numbing tingle, but he pushed past whatever discomfort the bastard technique presented him.

Using Yang's inattentiveness and as much speed as he could still muster, he charged at her full tilt. She brought her arms up to block the stab like she would any other, but the moment it connected, her eyes widened, either in figurative or literal shock, as the electricity completed a circuit throughout her body. Sasuke himself bit back a cry as the electricity coursed through his own limb. He would not let up, though, for he knew that if he did, Yang would only take whatever damage he imparted and use it against his weakened state.

He forced himself to turn to the display, watching as the bar under Yang's grinning face painfully slowly, crept down to the red. It seemed to take minutes, though it was in reality perhaps a few seconds that the pulsating lightning chakra coursed through the both of them. When it finally turned colors, reaching somewhere in the zone of less than 10%, Sasuke released the flow of chakra to his arm and sword, and the smoking body of the woman fell to her knees in front of him.

He could not help but reciprocate. His sword still clenched in his fingers, he struggled to regulate his heartbeat and his breath which had become erratic with the ballsy move. He strained to look up and see his own statistics. His 'Aura' was still above 50%, but that did not mean that he felt any less like shit at the moment. He could still fight on, but needed a moment to catch his breath. He decided, for the time being, to let his partner take up whatever slack he felt he had left.

Naruto took up the last of the slack on the bandages as he tightened them with the end clenched between his teeth. He tied a hasty knot over the white wraps, already being stained through with blood form the rapidly healing wound. He grimaced, glancing over his shoulder and past the tree trunk he was using for shelter to see if Ruby had come after him yet, either out of concern, or to finish what they had started. Though he could not think of the girl as being so cold blooded as that.

He himself felt worse for her sake. It had been his foolish usage of the tool she had given him that lead to his state, but he knew she probably blamed herself, and was concerned for his wellbeing. He felt like a heel, but knew that he could not afford to lose the match for her greater concern.

Propping himself back up from his crouched position with his short sword, he vowed to make it up to her somehow. He would start by never trying to channel his chakra through his remaining weapon, hoping to keep it in tact for as long as he could. It was especially prudent at the moment, because he sure as hell did not feel comfortable blocking the massive blade she possessed with his flimsy kunai.

Suddenly he caught a flash of red, and he did not hesitate to renew his bout. He pounced form the shadows at the shell-shocked girl, who barely had enough sense left to block his telegraphed strike with an undeployed Crescent Rose whom she had rescued from the ground.

"Naruto!" She cried out as she blocked the first strike from her friend. "Are you alright?" The answer to this questions was another slash which she dodged as she unfolded her weapon and tried to reboot her mind back into fighting mode. It was fairly clear that he had no intention of just sitting there and licking his wounds.

Admiring the tenacity of her friend, Ruby decided to go back after him with a vengeance, honoring his dedication to fight through the pain. She took a few shots at the low-slung boy who simply dodged them, letting the shots sink deep into the thick wood of the still standing trees. She quickly abandoned this tactic, as she flipped her weapon around and shot herself at the pinball-blond. They engaged in a series of strikes and blocks, Ruby supplementing her own natural speed with both her semblance and recoil from Crescent Rose.

Naruto cursed as he was forced further onto the defensive. He had to win, but he was not about to harm his friend to do so, so his more destructive techniques were out. And now that he lacked half of his arsenal, he could not compete with the girl's natural alacrity. At least, not without some effort.

He ceased trying to go on the counterattack, settling for dodging or deflecting the girl's blows while he gathered up his concentration for a move that he had only ever practiced with the now dismembered buckler. It was simple, in principle, but so very, very difficult in reality. In his previous incarnation, he would not have had the chakra control to be able to pull it off, with or without his shield. But in the months that they had been here, he had had little else to practice but control, and that was something his teammate insisted he improve upon.

So now he at least had enough confidence in himself to attempt this. He reached out with his projected chakra, past Ruby and her assault, aiming for a spot just behind her. He closed his eyes as he tried to envision the chakra latching onto the air in a pillar from his body to that spot. Like a soap bubble, the elongated arm strained against the outside pressure, ready to pop at any moment as he struggled to maintain and expand the head.

"Gotcha!"

Seeing her friend with his eyes closed, seemingly giving up on attack Ruby thought that she had all but won and activated her semblance for one more speed-enhanced strike.

Almost. There. Naruto grit his teeth as the arm shrunk back towards him, following the back of Ruby's oncoming form. At last, the chakra tube was to his proportions, and with a great yank, he retracted the airborne energy all at once, like a magician pulling the table cloth out from under a dinner setting. The molecules of air that the chakra had latched onto in their extension returned to him as well, and were projected backwards. There was now a great density of air behind him, and none in front. He was left without breath as the great imbalance sought to right itself, and he felt himself dragged forward at incredible speeds, unburdened by any fluid resistance in front of him.

Ruby's blade cut through nothing but an unusually thick column of air and she blinked as her blond friend disappeared from sight. She felt a blade rest against her shoulder, the familiar iridescent metal grazing her cheek, cool and gentle to the touch.

"Yield."

Naruto stood behind her, the lingering rose petals from her own semblance swirling around the blond in a whirlwind as the ruptured ozone and tension in the air settled. Ruby gave a coy smile back at her friend, who after a moment of reluctance, gratefully returned it.

"Dang, so close."


	21. No Threat

***Sigh* I feel really self conscious about this one. I had some grand schemes that will still work, though I had hoped to convey more of their importance with this one. Anyhoo, there it is. I hope I can get on to a little bit more of what I want to in the next chapter.**

 **In any case, I hope this answers a few questions that have seemed to pop up among readers. I really had meant to throw in the Kyuubi before now, but I had wanted to focus more on the interpersonal relationships first, but those just seem to be a never ending endeavor with all of the potential within both the series. For fans of team JNPR I apologize, I love those guys as well, and I feel like I neglected them until now, but like I say, there is just so much room in a single story.**

 **I also feel like I slightly returned to my belabored form of writing in this chapter, I seem to do that when I try to delve to deeply into a character's conscious. Please let me know what you think.**

 **This may also be rectified in the coming chapters, as I anticipate a more profound divergence from the series starting very soon.**

 **As always, thank you for your patience and cheers to you, the viewers. Even though this is mainly for my own self-gratification, we are in no small part what others think of us.**

* * *

"Damn it! That was too close…"

Naruto swore as he slammed his bandaged fist against the concrete wall of the passageway which awaited them outside the arena. He quickly withdrew his damaged appendage with a hiss, as fresh blood blotted to the surface of the wrappings. He gingerly held his wrist in his other hand as he glared at an offensive drop that had made its way to the floor.

Sasuke could not help but concur with his teammate's assessment. The match had been too close for comfort. He had come into it assuming they would both be able to handily defeat the captain and sister of team RWBY, but both had been forced to reveal some of their tricks which they had jealously managed to guard since the beginning of their stay. Clearly they would have to up their regime, not that they had been sedentary before, but this just illustrated to his mind how far they had yet to go. On top of all this, the idiot had managed to injure himself by overloading the mechanism of his buckler, which was geared for dust or Aura, but somehow rejected the corrosive nature of their chakra.

"I told you. We can't channel chakra through our weapons because there is something with our chakra that doesn't mesh with this universe's technology. You should have listened to me." Sasuke lectured his friend as they disappeared further into the tunnel that would lead back up to the contestant's box and the rest of the stands. They had parted ways with the two members of team RWBY back on the arena floor, the younger woman amicably lugging her unconscious sister over her shoulder as she thanked the two boys for their enjoyable battle.

"Shut up, Sasuke. Just, shut up!" Naruto snapped at his partner in a very un-Naruto like manner. Sasuke was taken aback by this outburst and halted suddenly as the boy ahead of him did as well. Naruto turned to glare at Sasuke, and he could see the slightest flares of crimson flit into the icy stare he sent him.

Naruto was not in any mood to be lectured by the other teen. The fox had finally started to stitch his skin back to his musculature with needle-like threads of chakra, and needless to say, it didn't feel all too great as his nerves came back online and registered the repairs in excruciating detail. But the physical pain actually helped to distract him from the tumult which was threatening to drive him mad.

These people they were dealing with, Ozpin's enemies, their enemies and ostensibly the enemies of the whole population of Remnant were not to be trifled with. From the few times he had interacted with their ring leader, he could tell the woman was powerful. Not just in her manipulations, although that deviousness was scary enough in itself. He had no doubt that if she wanted to, she could wreck untold amounts of undue harm at any time. And at the moment, it seemed it all fell to him to toe the line and prevent that from happening. And right now, his partner was not helping.

"What the hell's up with you, dobe?" Sasuke stared appraising the clearly disturbed boy. He could clearly see that it wasn't simply a case of raw nerves, or pain alone that was upsetting him.

Naruto turned around more to unleash his diatribe at the abrasive teen, but held his tongue, right hand clamping down harder on his bloody wrist. More red bled into his dressings and his eyes. Sasuke unconsciously shifted and a hand rose to rest itself on the hilt of his sword. Was this it? Were they finally going to settle what they had started at the valley of the end? Was this the end of their tenuous partnership? Sasuke would have put money on this happening at some point, but to tell the truth, he had grown accustomed to the almost mundane repartee that he and his teammate now shared. But he was fine with a showdown, too. Why did he have to pick such an inconvenient time to do it, though?

The two stared at one another. Naruto's feral features glowed in the dim light, glowing darkly with hatred the avenger little thought the blond could possess. Even if this was the Kyuubi's influence, at was quite something to be the recipient of such raw emotion. But nothing happened, not for a long time.

Naruto very much wanted to unload his burden on the other boy. He wanted someone to know what he was going through right now, and he was not even sure Sasuke had even an inkling. He wanted to scream, to rage about how unfair, how impossible the situation was. He wanted to shove all the responsibility, all of the burden onto the uncaring young man staring him down with his onyx gaze in this floating rabbit's hole.

But he couldn't. This was his burden, after all. His part to play in all this, his retribution for getting them there in the first place, and his responsibility to protect the friends he foolishly acquired in this world so far away from the one they knew. The one where they knew who was who, right from wrong. But even that certainty he was beginning to doubt these days, and he was left with nothing. Nothing real to fall back on except pain. He bit his tongue.

When no one moved, Sasuke closed his eyes, unable to look at his partner glaring at him so accusingly. His hand fell from the hilt of his sword and his fist clenched, shook.

"You think you are the only one lost here?" The question was so quiet, so out of the blue that it made Naruto's nerves twitch. Despite not saying a word to his partner, Sasuke seemed to have parsed out his internal harangue. "You think you are the only one suffering, struggling to figure out what to do? Bullshit."

Sasuke raised his head to glare pitch black, comma ringed pupils at him. "Things aren't so easy for me either. Sure, to you it might seem like all I want to do is return to our world and get my life back on track, fulfill my desire to kill my brother. But I have realized of late, things aren't going to be that simple. Even if we were to go back together, I doubt Konoha would welcome me back with open arms." He gave a laugh devoid of humor. "In fact, with the Kyuubi still sealed inside you, I doubt they would want either of us back."

Naruto wanted to deny this, to revile this callus assumption, but the truth was that he had much the same thoughts of late. If he wasn't in Konoha, Akatsuki would have no reason to attack. They were safe from whatever plot involved the Jinchuriki.

But Sasuke was not done. "But it's even worse for me, you know? You, you could probably go back, if you really wanted to. Or you could even stay. You have carved yourself out a little life here, haven't you? But what do I have waiting for me back home? I don't even think the Snake himself would want me now." His hand reached up to his collar and pulled back the layered clothing to expose his chalky shoulder. The curse mark was still there. But, it was not the curse mark any more. The three tomoe had become four, and had been bound together by a serpentine figure, gorging itself on its own tail.

Naruto stared wide-eyed at the development of the mark. He had not noticed its change in the time they had been in this world together, his partner had either carefully kept it hidden, or he just hadn't noticed it because he had assumed it had always been there. He wanted to know what had happened to mutate it so, but suspected that the owner himself had no idea.

"So you want to be pissed? You want to rage about how unfair this all is? Go ahead. I'm right here with you. Let's go howl at the moon like the curs we are." Sasuke smirked at his facetious suggestion, and Naruto let the silence that followed it hang. No one was sure of what to say now.

"Well done, you two."

Thankfully, it was someone else's words that filled the void. Ozpin and Glynda materialized out of the darkened hallway behind them. Glynda, with heels hurriedly clicking against concrete and echoing in the empty space, rushed over to the blond boy to assess how bad his injury was. He tried to jerk his arm out of the older woman's grip, but winced as he did so, and she glared at him disapprovingly. Ozpin stood, hand resting on his cane as he watched his partner interact with the boy, and regarded the other ninja staring silently at his arrival. A silent accord was struck. The hallway was a good conductor of sound. Ozpin had no doubt heard their little confrontation.

"Anyway, you two should both get some rest. Naruto, you should go to the nurse to get that checked out, I don't care how fast you heal, we wouldn't want that to get infected." Ozpin held up his hand to stifle any protests that were on the boy's lips. "Now, now, we are going to need you in good shape if we are going to attempt to send you home soon."

This perked up the ears of both boys. Though Naruto caught on to implications faster even than the supposed genius. "Did something happen to Amber?" More tentatively. "Did you find someone to assume the maiden's power?"

Ozpin smiled at the concern displayed for the woman he had never actually met. "No to the first, and to the second, well, I think that I have found someone capable."

"Really? Who is it?" Ozpin was further surprised by the boy's insistence. He would have thought that the news that they could finally be sent home would be their top concern. Maybe it was for the still silent and skeptical Sasuke still waiting in the wings for the conclusion to this admission. "I believe Ms. Nikos would be the ideal candidate for maidenhood." Naruto stared at the man incredulously. "What? Pyrrha? Has she agreed to this?" He did not doubt the woman's conviction, but he wanted to make sure that Ozpin was not trying to trick her into it, or worse even, forcing her to do so. Not that he assumed he would, but it was a sudden revelation.

"Well, I haven't actually asked her to do so, yet." Ozpin revealed. "But I have little doubt she will rise to the occasion and make a fine Fall Maiden."

"But-"

"But this is **her** decision, Naruto. Not yours." Surprisingly, it was Glynda who cut the boy short, and he stared at her with a look of slight betrayal. She also had serious misgivings about using Ms. Nikos for the task, but surprisingly it was the two of them who had most convinced her that this new generation might be up to the challenge. Besides, she could see no better option. It was best to transfer Amber's semblance as soon as they could, and the sooner they pulled the plug on her, the sooner they could divert their energies to getting the two stray shinobi back home.

Naruto wanted to protest, but knew he could not. She was right, it was not their place to decide. It was ultimately between her and Ozpin. They were the ones that were going to live with the consequences. Once the transfer was done, so was their part in this whole crazy mess. He settled for a hangdog look. Not quite content with the situation as the dice fell, but unsure of what to do, besides whatever came next.

"Now, again, why don't you go to the infirmary, Naruto. Glynda?" The woman nodded and loosely wrapped an arm around the distressed boy's shoulders and began to guide him to the on-site aid station where she herself would evaluate his injury. Ozpin then turned to Sasuke and addressed the teen who had yet to say a word to either of them. "Sasuke, I think it would be best if you were to represent the two of you for the final round, wouldn't you say." Sasuke nodded, and Naruto did not have heart to protest.

* * *

"Breath in." She listened to the heartbeat through the stethoscope in the accompanying silence. "And out. Good." Naruto released the breath he had been told to hold in rush of air. Glynda nodded, removed the cold probe and he made to tighten the fold of his haori.

They had made their way to the small infirmary, and Glynda had changed the dressing on his arm. Regardless of his healing, however expedited, his blood had already thoroughly soaked the impromptu bandage and he knew that he could do with a fresh wrap. When she peeled off the blood-caked gauze though, she was shocked to find most of the skin had already reattached itself solidly to the limb, and the remaining pinstripe cuts were already starting to scab over and close.

She should not be all that surprised, though. Ozpin had briefed her on the boy's unusual 'condition', and the rapid healing factor that went along with it. It was a small consolation, she admitted, for having been ostracized his whole life.

Still, despite his rapid healing, she decided to give him a full check-up, realizing for the first time that he had yet to have any established on their records. In all the time she had tended the wounds after both the training and the missions, she had never bothered to check the boys overall health. Which, it seemed did not matter so much, because he seemed to be in peak physical condition for his age. But in truth, it was not his physical health she was most concerned with.

"Are you alright, Naruto?" He sent her a withered smile that she flinched at.

"I'm fine, really. Thank you, Glynda."

She wanted to press him, for it was obvious that he was not, but she was unsure if it was her place. Despite all the time they spent together, he had been unusually tight-lipped when it came to personal matters. She was a little bit hurt by his lack of trust in her, but chalked it up to what must have been the boy's hard past. She would make herself available at any time, if he were to change, but she would put no pressure on him to share his feelings.

She just gave him a small smile and squeezed his re-wrapped hand gently. He returned her smile, filled with a bit more warmth this time.

"I have to get back up to the stadium in case Ozpin needs me for another one of the matches." She apologized, but Naruto indicated that he understood. "No problem. I think I am just going to stay here for a while. Think about things." Returning the nod, Glynda turned her back on the boy, leaving him on the paper-coated hospital mattress, a sterilized copy of the prison bed he had slept on so many nights ago. He watched her shoot him one last glance as she shut the heavy metal door with a light click the belied its sturdy lock.

"I didn't think that that woman had a heart in her. What a surprise."

Naruto swept the smile off of his face as he recognized the voice lilting out from behind the drawn privacy curtain to his right. "What do you want?"

The curtain swept back on its tiny metal rollers with a metallic slick, revealing the reclined body of Cinder Fall, lounging seductively on the bed adjacent to him.

"Aw, what makes you think I want anything? I heard my little pet was hurt so I wanted to come and check up on him."

Naruto growled and shot the woman a withering glare as she simply raised an eyebrow at the gesture and idly walked her fingers back and forth on the crinkling sheet.

"I am **not** your pet."

"Oh really? Well, you do what I ask of you, and you are going to continue to do what I ask of you if you ever want to get back home."

It was Naruto's turn to smirk in perceived victory as he let his vindictive nature gain control over his mouth. "That's where you are wrong. Ozpin found us a way to get back home. It's just a matter of time before-" He cut himself off, realizing that he was straying dangerously close to revealing the existence of Amber.

"Hm? Is that so." Cinder sat up and looked questioningly at Naruto. "So Ozpin has found someone foolish enough to relieve Amber of her semblance?" Naruto gawked at her. Apparently, the secret of the Maidens was not as secret as he had hoped. Cinder chuckled at the boy's distress. "Oh I know about Amber, who do you think put her there?"

He had an insatiable urge to flee, then. He had always been unnerved by this woman, but with the added knowledge that she had bested someone of legendary power was reason enough to fear her. Even still, he could not move, transfixed by morbid curiosity. Her smile grew, seeing the effect she had on the normally unflappable young man. "So you see now there is no hope for your little cabal to succeed, right? So just keep doing what I ask of you, and I promise you will get your reward."

She glided off of the mattress and over to the stunned young man looking despondently at his own hands. He flinched as her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she whispered into his ear. "So, just be a good little boy and fight for me in the final round, hmm?" "Why me?" Came the hesitant question. She toyed with a loose strand of his wild hair, longer now since he had not cut in in some time. "Everyone likes an underdog."

She let go of him then, and he suppressed a shiver. She silently sauntered over to the door, but before she got there she was stopped by a whispered plea from the boy she had left dead in the room behind her.

"What about my friends?" His desperation shone through. He could care less, now, whether or not he went home. But he simply could not depart and leave whatever mess he helped bring about heaped on their doorstep.

Cinder grinned as she realized just how much she had him wrapped around her little finger. She didn't even look back to see his dejected aura as she toyed with his emotions. "Hmm…" She pretended to ponder the question, consternating the boy further. "I don't know. What motivation do I have to keep them safe? After all, that team RWBY has been quite the thorn in my side for a while now. And besides, what do you care? You will be going home to your true friends soon. You shouldn't worry about such things."

Though she could not see him, she felt his eyes bore into her back, and for a brief moment she felt a pang of fear as the anger radiating from this concentrated stare seemed to become weaponized. She did not turn though. She did not want to acknowledge her fear to the boy, nor did she want to look at him, and confirm her forebodings.

"I don't care what happens to me. Do not hurt my friends." Gone was the pitiful pleading. This was an order. Still, Cinder would not show weakness. Betraying nothing in her voice, she cast the boy one last morsel before she disappeared.

"I'll think about it."

* * *

"I think that went well."

"Hell yeah! We kicked butt!"

Nora exuberantly translated the statement made by her redheaded teammate into her sugar-crazed dialect as the two patted down the same hallway so recently occupied by many more weighty emotions. Victory for them in their recent fight was a gift, not a necessity. Thus, spirits high and cares nil, they exited the breech to rejoin their teammates waiting for them in the wings.

It was Pyrrha who notice the other occupants still in the passageway, dark shades at first, forming familiar persons and dispelling the unease that had been overbearing as of late. Ozpin held himself to his usual unreadable aloof standard, but the same somber mood that she had felt permeating the chamber enveloped the boy who walked alongside like a stray dog. Purposeless, or perhaps without recourse, staring through the two of them.

"Hello Headmaster."

"Hello Ms. Nikos, Ms. Valkyrie."

Ozpin's greeting betrayed no hint as to his purpose accosting them so soon after their match, nor did it explain the boy's purpose. The two from team JNPR had witnessed the match concluded just before their own that had ended with the two younger men victorious, so his solemn air seemed contradictory. In their time at Beacon, Pyrrha at least had grown accustomed to the many languages spoken by the various eccentrics that called it home. Though she herself struggled to integrate herself into casual behavior, it was with an uncanny knack that she could sense that this was not the boy's normal recalcitrance, but a distinct melancholy.

Nora, of course was oblivious to all of this.

"Hey Prof! Duck-Butt!"

Ozpin's ghost of a smile grew almost imperceptibly, however Sasuke failed to rise to the unintentional provocation, and this in itself was enough to severely disturb the Athenian.

"Ms. Valkyrie, do you mind if I borrow Ms. Nikos for a while?"

Despite the inherent trust the young woman felt for the fatherly figure, the shear strangeness of the encounter thus far had set off all kinds of alarms in the highly skilled fighter, and she almost wanted to scream to her partner, nonplussed in her quick acceptance of the situation, to reach out, stop her from going with the man. But this was an insane notion, as she knew the Headmaster could not possibly wish to do her any harm. Still, the mood that accompanied the youth that stayed behind as Ozpin lead her deeper into the subdued light of the hallway was infectious. She cast one quizzical look backwards, more to the boy with his back turned to the two of them, than to her teammate who had rapidly adapted and was waving her off and saying that she would see her again soon.

She sure hoped that this was the case. But the boy that had his back turned gave her no reassurance of this.

Sasuke did not watch the two depart, nor did he much register the whole incident. His mind was still running a mile a minute in the other direction, all over and without course. When the two left, he was still anchored where Ozpin had left him and was in any case in no hurry to go anywhere anytime soon. He would, at some point go see his teammate in the infirmary, if he was indeed still there and had not frolicked away as soon as Glynda gave him a clean bill of health. But he could not see him. Not right now. He had his own problems he needed to sort out, without the baggage his comrade insisted on carrying no matter what world they found themselves in.

A swishing breeze above his head stirred him It tickledthe top ends of his hair, which sagged far lower than it had in the past. Honestly, he did not see why Nora still insisted on the degrading nickname coined for him by Yang. The blonde woman herself hardly used it these days. It did not vex him as much as perhaps it should have, not enough to change anything. It was through sheer negligence that his hair had been allowed to go into such disarray. Backing up a few internal phrases, he recalled the other occupant of the culled population of the underground.

"Nora."

"Hm?"

"What are you doing?"

The fact that she was no longer in front of him, but still present was enough for the young man to be wary. Though the two of them had not spent as much time making acquaintance with the rest of team JNPR, the sheer fact that they had been dealing with Jaune meant that they were expose, though only to sub-lethal doses of the radioactive woman. Thus, he tended to treat her with caution, and preferably with a pair of long-handled tongs.

He received no reply from the woman presumed to still be behind him. Before he could turn around and discharge his pent-up frustration on the innocent hammer-wielder, he felt a great weight settle itself on his shoulders. His knees locked and he almost keeled over, for it had not been all that long since he had done combat with the blonde firecracker from team RWBY. In a way, he supposed, that this immediate annoyance was perhaps a good thing, helping him to tear his mind away from the mobius loop it was stuck on.

That did not mean that he was any less irritated by having his personal space invaded by the energetic woman.

"Nora. What the hell do you think you are doing."

"I'm Queen of the castle, duh."

The reply was stated so matter-of-factly that Sasuke was half tempted in his less than alert state to accept it as a reasonable response. He had, after all, been dealing with the male equivalent for an untold number of months now. Their reality was already on a perpendicular vector, so yet another change might have been adaptable. But physical fatigue was overcoming him now, forcing him to reassess whether or not it was worth it to go along with the ludicrous assertion.

"And why, pray tell, are you not doing this with your teammates?"

"Pyrra, Ren and Jaune aren't here." She poked his head emphasizing each name as she recited it, and he could hear the admonishment in her voice, like she was explaining arithmetic to a grade-schooler for the umpteenth time. "And besides! You're the tall one!"

It had not registered to him for some time, but this was one truth the girl held over him. In the recent months, the both of them had woxen into their new clothes. Though still among the shortest by far, it just so happened to be that he himself surpassed the extraordinarily short woman in the process. He had not noticed, but he supposed Naruto was no longer that far behind him either. But that still did not excuse this familiar behavior she was imposing on him. And his patience bolstered by fatigue was nevertheless wearing thin.

"Nora, who do you think I am?"

"You're Sasuke, duh. Did you hit your head and forget your name?"

"No, I did not forget. Tell me, when have I ever allowed you to ride on my shoulders?"

"I've never needed to! Ren or Pyrrha was always around. But I'm tired and Pyrrha said she would carry after the match if we won!"

Once again, the incredulous logic was undeniable. But he too was fairly exhausted. Not only from the match, but the argument with his trusted partner had got to him as well. He cursed himself in his weakness, he was letting emotions rule him too much in the recent past. He would have to put a stop to this humiliation right now. But the woman was surprisingly heavy for her small frame. He supposed it was all of the veiled muscle with which she swung her hammer around like it was a ballpeen.

"And what on Earth made you think I would allow you to ride on my shoulders now? We hardly know each other. Do I really seem like the type of person who would allow you to do something like this?"

"Yup!"

Sasuke's gears ground together as he tried to shift from 1st to 3rd gear. He flailed around as he tried to recover before he blew the transmission. Nora had just divided by zero and come to an erroneous conclusion and he found himself mired in the neuropathy.

"When have I ever given you that impression? What have I ever done to suggest that I am a benevolent person?"

"Well, for one you are friends with Naruto, and he is friends with everyone. Also, you're at Beacon studying to become a hunter, therefore you have to be good. Plus, you always hang out with Jaune and help him out, I don't know who else would have the patience to deal with him!" Once again, he felt the woman physically counting out her list on his skull. "And, well, you have never given me a reason not to think you're a good person. Therefore, you must be a good kind of person who would be my castle!" He could feel the pride dripping off the woman as she came to her conclusion.

Despite the tenuous evidence at best, he could not deny that he had yet to truly give anyone in this world a reason to be averse to him, barring of course the White Fang and their obvious enemies. It was a thought written on cobweb, and he was afraid to reach out and grasp it might that he would tear it in his efforts at retrieval. Suddenly the weight on his shoulders was so much less to that of his heart.

With a sigh and a cheer from the orange-haired woman he began his excruciating trek back to the stands, and hopefully to where he could find relief from the physical burden.

Through the hallway he dragged his cross.

* * *

It felt as if he were dragging his conscious along with his eyelids, it was a belabored awakening. When had he drifted off? Was it after Cinder had left, or had he even been aware of that happening? Had it been many hours after? This was not the infirmary. Not anymore.

The light was dark, ruby hued and omnipresent in that ethereal diffuse way. Had they turned out the irritating buzzing fluorescents when they saw he was asleep? Maybe, but the sheer volume occupied by the light was too vast, the corners what there may have been, disappeared into the darkness.

This was not the uncomfortably sanitized mattress, either. The floating feeling was becoming more solid, and less likely to have been a product of his waking haze. Clarity like lifeblood rushed back into his brain as he recognized with a grim nostalgia where he was, finally.

He sat up in the Tethian sea in his mind, and was presented with his blind familiar. The presence that had been a constant factor in his life, though for a disturbingly long time now snowed in with the happenings of the outside world. Silent. Invisible.

No longer, the Kyuubi stared piercingly at his awakening. How long had he been waiting for Naruto to rise from his induced slumber? The parody of halcyon stillness felt as if it had always been. It had never been this quiet in the beast's chamber, and it affeered him more than if the demon had greeted him with teeth gnashing and admonishments on those black-gummed lips.

"What do you want?"

What did the beast want from him? His absence had been a stark contrast to his usual behavior since Naruto had learned of his presence. It had been a welcome change, at first, and the curse that he was forced to endure was able to be sequestered to a chamber of his mind that he scarcely used. This world, it seemed, was presenting him with a chance to start over, and he could not deny that it was a tempting prospect. However, the longer the beast stayed silent in his gut, the more he had begun to wonder what had become of it. He had toyed with the possibility that the beast was gone for good, its residual chakra still coursing through his system the only sign that he had ever been that unwilling human sacrifice.

But things had changed, once again.

"Insolent brat," the beast growled out, lip trembling in consternation. "I have endured centuries of injustices and the humiliation of three containers, but you are by far the most foolish ningen I have ever encountered."

Naruto sat up, shook the fetid water drops from his hair and started picking the imaginary dirt from his ear. If the Kyuubi had simply brought him here to unload his frustrations, he was not going to humor the haughty lord of demons. The Fox read his body language and bared his teeth in hardly restrained animosity.

"Fool! I did not bring you here simply for my own benefit! I could live through an eternity before I saw your face again. It has been a near Sisyphean task for me to regain my strength after your stunt, and I have only now been able to drag you down here. Do you really think I would waste all of this effort for the sole use of degrading your already inferior species?"

"Fine! Then why did you bring me down here?" Naruto humored the demon by supposing that the beast really did have another motive for this meeting. It was even being, dare he say it, cooperative. Offering him at least a plausible excuse for the amount of time he spent with its absence.

"You will end your charade with this dangerous woman, as well as all of your dealings with this Ozpin character." The beast growled out with all of the grave finality of shoveling earth onto the coffin.

Neither the tone, nor the propagator of the order was enough to quell Naruto's contradictory nature at being arbitrarily ordered around. He had been taking orders with little question for the entirety of his sojourn thus far, and whatever patience he had garnered from the shock and incredulity of being transplanted untold amounts of time and space was at last wearing precariously thin. He rose to his feet, unaffected by the fatigue that plagued his physical body, and uncaring of the waves of raw anger washing over him and rippling the stagnant water at his feet. He leveled his steely blue gaze at the beast of burden, and matched its conviction drop for drop.

"No."

The Kyuubi growled in disdain but otherwise did not move from its perch behind the impossibly thick bars. "No?" It bit back in barely controlled fury.

"No." Naruto reiterated. "I am not taking orders from you. In fact, I'm getting pretty tired of taking orders in general. All I have done since I got here was take orders from people without question, and it doesn't seem to be doing me any good. All I do is get more and more stuck. So if you want me to do as you ask, you better have a damn good reason for it. I want answers, and you will give them to me or get nothing."

"Fool." The Kyuubi restated its default insult, though with far less malice than it had been delivered the first time. "At least you are finally starting to think with that tiny brain of yours. If you keep following the direction of that conniving man, it will get you killed."

Naruto huffed and crossed his arms in defiance. "I'm prepared for that." He was. He had ample time to reconcile that fact with himself. If he could die in defense of his friends, that would be good enough in his opinion. It was the question of living, in this world or his own, that was the hard part.

"Fine. But did you ever consider that I may not be ready to? You may be my jailer, but I am your prisoner. I am your responsibility, and if you die, I die as well."

Naruto was reluctant to admit that he would feel a little guilty for the ultimate fate of the Kyuubi, demon or not, he was not certain if he should hold dominion over such a force.

"So? If you die, you just reform in a few years, right? Besides, it's partly your fault that we are here in the first place. I never would have been able to do whatever it was that got us here on my own." It was with this realization of culpability that came another idea into his forethought. "Hey, wait a minute! If you got us here with your power, can't you get us back?" Though it also might require the cooperation of his teammate, it should at least theoretically be possible.

The beast, however, remained silent. The anger that had engulfed them, bridged the gap between the two had receded at low ebb behind the bars and circled protectively around the creature. His teeth were still bared, but Naruto did not feel it as a human would. It was not a sign of the demon's animosity towards his container.

"You don't know if you can, do you?" It was nigh imperceptible, but he could have sworn he saw the beast flinch backwards. In fact, the more he regarded the fox without the aura of malice surrounding it, the more he noticed just how disheveled the creature looked. Fur matted, eyes bloodshot, an unhealthy tinge to its bared gums, it looked haggard, weary. This scared Naruto more than all of the venom the beast had previously directed towards him. It no longer resembled the king of demons. What had made the great nine-tailed fox look so….

"You're scared?"

It was impossible. But there it was. It was for the first time ever, a caged animal. Backed into the corner and ready to lash out at everything and anything it could, to go down fighting at ghosts until it was torn into shreds. It let out a growl, but words of denial did not follow, and Naruto's fear grew. He took a tentative step towards the cage, and this time he could clearly see the beast flinch in some sort of emulation of the animal it portended to be. What could scare the Kyuubi?

"Fool." It could not even come up with another brand of insult for the boy. And Naruto toyed with the idea that it was stating that as much towards itself as it was an insult to his person.

"You don't know how to get us back." He reconfirmed the supposition to no shouts of denial. But that alone should not be enough to cause such a reaction to the great beast. He ventured further. "You don't know how we got here." More succinct. "You don't know where here is." He delved deeper, but the light was fading and he could no longer see the direction of where to go. He assumed it was the same for the affeered beast.

"There is something happening to us."

This did get a small reaction from the fox, a tightening of the lips and a little bit of the bile returned to its response.

"I have no idea what is happening to you filthy monkeys. It is too hard to tell, you are always shedding skin and other... parts. I cannot be expected to know how your body is reacting to this world. But…"

"But, you can see my chakra?" Naruto surmised, based on the fact that not hours before the Kyuubi had managed to stich his arm back together. "And there is something happening to my chakra, isn't there?"

The Kyuubi roared at him, and Naruto nearly toppled over into the waning pool, unprepared for the wave of putrid air.

"You humans! Always concerned for yourselves! You precious chakra! You are nothing without that power. You are nothing without my power!"

That outburst confirmed it in Naruto's mind. But along with that confirmation came the unprovoked information the Kyuubi had unknowingly provided. Pieces dropped into place, and then the bottom fell out.

His long silence. His bedraggled look. His fear.

Kyuubi was a chakra construct, and there was something about this world that they were in that was at odds with chakra, that much he had learned the hard way. So if he died, the beast's chakra would be released.

"If I die, you would cease to exist." That was it, the Kyuubi was unsure if he could reform in this world without chakra. Sure, they had other energies, both inhabiting humans and the present nature. And of course, there was the enigma of the creatures of Grimm, but if there was no abundant source of chakra, would the Kyuubi simply cease to exist if he had no source to latch on to? This was what had spooked the beast so. He was facing his own mortality, final and ultimate. This was something that all humans had gone through at some point, and all had their way of coping. But this was a demi-god, and unused to having to think of itself as fallible. As much as a creature of pure anger and energy could be, Kyuubi was terrified.

Naruto took a few careful steps towards the bars that separated the two of them. The Kyuubi, he was not sure if it was to his surprise or his expectations, backed away. But he felt something drawing him further in, some sort of pull, not much stronger than a rubber band in comparison to the beast's girth, but Naruto could feel it distinctly.

He was not sure when, or why, but he crossed the invisible as well as the visible barrier that separated prisoner and warden. No massive paw lashed out to crush him. The Kyuubi would not dare, at this moment, for neither had any idea what would become of the beast if he were to do something as foolhardy as this. Though the beast was forged from almost pure rage, there was a conscious logic that dictated its actions, and it stayed its hand.

As he got closer and closer, he could see a thin tendril of aqua ghostly overlaying the blood-red fur in front of him. He blinked, at first taking it for ghost of his tormented mind. But it continued in his vision as he approached and even became more solid, more opaque. He reached out to the spot where it entered the shags of the beast's fur, uncaring of the warding growl the creature was projecting far above him. He saw the blue string pass through his hand on a meridian which he traced back to…

Himself.

The Kyuubi was drawing energy… from him. Not only was the demon unaware if he could reform, he was now dependent wholly on Naruto for recovery. That was why it had taken him so long to hear from his tenant. The Kyuubi was slow to recover because he was drawing chakra from Naruto, and not the other way around. For all extents and purposes, the Kyuubi was simply a capacitor, and no longer a bottomless reservoir from which he could draw. Had this irony been presented to his younger form, he would have laughed and chastised the cowardly fox. Now though, he was every bit as terrified as the demon. His hand on its hide felt the skin tremble.

He looked up into its eyes, glistening with restrained revile and yes, fear. He asked the question that was now shared by two beings within the same body, but one which neither could then answer.

"What now?"

* * *

"So, what now?"

Mercury questioned the recently returned Cinder who had reappeared with a caveat to their grand scheme. It would seem that due to recent events, he would not be fighting either Yang or Weiss in the final round, but the blond whom they supposedly had wrapped around their finger at the moment. But Mercury had his own reservations to this conclusion.

"We still go ahead as planned. Nothing else has changed." Cinder responded coolly, assuaging the young man's fears with a sly smile. She turned to regard her other subordinate who looked equally dubious. "You must still be ready to cast your illusion when I give the signal."

Emerald raised a single eyebrow in curiosity. "I take it that means that we don't trust blondie to do as we tell him?" In a way, this reassured the green-haired girl who had been harboring her own doubts as to the trustworthiness of their coerced ally. After numerous interactions with the boy, she had been skeptical as to whether or not there was anything Cinder could truly lord over the boy to get him to follow their orders.

Cinder's smirk grew. "That's one way to put it. I have not actually asked him to do anything but fight in the final round. At this stage, the less he knows the better. I have a suspicion that he has been trying to play us this entire time, but really, the boy is too honest for this kind of deception. Still, he will suffice for what I have planned, and it may even be for the better." Cinder looked out to the mass of crowds only now departing the afternoon's finished match, wistful in desire. "It will be so nice to use Ozpin's little pawn against him. The man thinks he can tread this close to the fire without getting burned, he has another thing coming. His hubris will be his undoing."

They too, were playing a close game, and both Mercury and Emerald would have felt better had they dealt with the two unaccounted variables when first they had learned of their existence. But Cinder was their leader and planner, and they trusted her to take these factors into her calculations. They had no choice but to trust her. They had little other option at this point.

* * *

Though it was posed as such, it truly felt like she had little other option than to accept the Headmaster's request, no matter how much personal sacrifice it would cost her.

Pyrrha walked out into the fading daylight, the massive fireball making its last gasp of flaming glory as it was choked out by night for another period of darkness dominated by their fracture moon. She strolled aimlessly, having left Ozpin and Amber deep in the subterranean chamber hidden beneath the school and most of her thoughts down there as well. He was a soulless body meandering in the growing darkness of the gothic arches that made up the castle-like institution.

When Ozpin had explained the improbable situation, retold to her the story of the Four Maidens in the context of a real battle between light and darkness, she had almost felt relieved. The trepidation that had accompanied her being whisked off by the professor in wake of the somber nature of the younger man that had left them had prepared her for something much worse.

But, as she had time to digest the realities of what Ozpin had just now asked of her, she wondered if maybe Sasuke had been privy to the knowledge that Ozpin had bestowed upon her, and the impossible choice she would now have to make.

No, not impossible. It was entirely too possible, there was only one option. She had to accept becoming the Fall Maiden. For the sake of not only the rest of humanity, but all of the people she had come to call friends at this school. She had become strong, in the hopes that it would set her free, that the world would be more open to her if she could conquer it with her own two hands. She had fought tooth and nail for this option, and to a certain extent, it had worked. She was free from the obligations of the weak, from having to suffer as she watched her friends die when there was nothing she could do. But she was also trapped, isolated from the rest of them by some imperceptible distance that she herself had imposed with her competence. And now, now the rift was tearing their worlds asunder, and she was left stranded on island separate, another country, another continent, another world apart.

She leaned against a stone wall under the sheltering arch of a gabled roof, and slid to the ground, all the strength having left her then. It was pitiful, she thought, that the 'invincible girl' should be felled by her own success. She tried to find the strength in herself to do something, to either resist or reconcile herself with the duty she knew awaited her, but she could do neither.

She could do nothing but watch as the last rays of crimson caressed her face one last time before the light faded from the world.

* * *

Artificial and stinging light entered his eyes as he came back to the world which he assumed was his own. Whatever that meant to him now. His world, for the past months and what seemed now like the all too finite future would be this foreign and caustic one. One in which he could seek a sense of contentment, but never achieve the full reality.

He blinked up at the fluorescent light, the double fixture half-illuminated still with that obnoxiously insidious buzz that permeated even his unconscious mind. Still, it served to quickly wake him, and he soon became cognizant of change in his position since he was pulled into his mindscape. He had of course been lying down, unsurprisingly on the uncomfortable mattress that seemed standard in this world's facilities. But there was a scratchy warmth on top of him now, not wholly unpleasant, but unaccustomed as he remembered no such feeling prior.

He blinked and rubbed the gunk away from the corners of his eyes as he sat up and appraised the situation. How long had he been out of it?

As he sat up, the wool blanket that had been covering him fell off, and he became aware of an unpleasant and sterilized chill in the air. He sniffed as the sudden change in temperature reached his nostrils and fathomed the conundrum of having fallen asleep in his combat clothes, only to wake up decidedly devoid of this provision. He looked to the small table stationed at the right of the bed to see that they had not gone far, and were folded neatly covering the majority of the small table. His guards and sandals accompanying them carefully stacked on the floor in front.

"Oh, hey! You're up!"

He nearly jumped out of the bed at the sudden interruption of his thoughts, but was immensely glad for his control as he was unsure of just how far he was undressed under the scraggly blanket, but until he ascertained his company was reluctant to find out. He glanced over to his right to see a grin very familiar to his own plastered on the face of a reclined blonde woman. He released a breath, thankful that it was not Cinder.

"Hey Yang."

"Hey Whiskers!" Yang greeted amicably. She was surprisingly alert for someone who was electrocuted… how long ago had that been? He had no idea.

"So why are you here? I didn't think my little sis hurt you that bad." Then again, she had been on a separate part of the field and had been unconscious since the match ended.

Naruto raised his bandaged arm, as much for his benefit as Yang's, as he tried to gauge the time elapsed from how his arm felt, but was unable to properly judge, not being able to feel anything abnormal did not mean that his arm was fully healed, though in all likelihood it was.

Yang nodded in understanding and sat up a little bit more in her own bed, the back having been propped up to facilitate this. Naruto was mildly thankful that she was not in an equally clothed state as himself, as she sat up under the same genre of standardized blanket that must inhabit every hospital and prison (what was the difference again?), he noted she had removed her jacked, but retained at least the tank top underneath it. When had she gotten here? He did not remember her coming in when Glyn- Goodwitch gave him a checkup. He asked as much.

"Oh, Ruby got lost trying to head back to the docks, got tired, and so in the end just dumped me here so I could sleep some of the shock off." She mussed her hair up, unconsciously checking to see if the electricity that had coursed through her body had also done any permanent damage to her pride and joy. "Ruby just ducked out for a moment to score us some grub. I'm pretty sure she'll be bringing some for you too. You were in here when Ruby dragged me in apparently."

Naruto nodded. He did not yet want to question what his state was when they had arrived. He was not sure how he would feel if it turned out one of the two sisters had been the one to undress him. Worse, if it hadn't been either of the two, he sure hoped that it hadn't been that evil woman who came back while he was dragged into his tenant's chamber. He shuddered imperceptibly.

To relieve the awkwardness that was sure to be just around the corner, Ruby chose that time to burst through the door, nearly spilling the bucket loads of food she seemed to be carrying in sturdy plastic bags, bearing paper cartons emblazoned with the generic call sign of 'A Simple Wok'.

"Whoa!"

She nearly tripped over herself trying to balance the food and open the heavy door at the same time. Thankfully, she managed to land the truckload of takeout on the foot of Naruto's bed with commendable precision right before she collapsed face first onto the floor at the bed's feet. She righted herself impossibly fast and shook off the pulsating bump that had then just been growing on her forehead. Naruto was slightly jealous of her apparent healing ability, given that his own might very well be impeded in for the foreseeable future.

"Hey Naruto! You're up!"

"Hey Ruby." Naruto greeted his friend with a smile, glad to see that she did not seem to be offended at having been bested earlier in the day.

"By the way, what time is it?"

Ruby tore open the bags and rapidly distributed the still piping hot contents. Naruto had several boxes as well as a tantalizingly steaming Styrofoam bowl shoved into his lap, which he quickly took charge of, lest the scalding contents spill out and harm some unmentionable part of his anatomy.

"Dinner time!"

The two sisters rapidly dug in as if they had not eaten in days. To be fair, they probably had had nothing to eat since their match unknown hours ago, and Naruto, despite being unconscious for the majority of that time, admitted to no small amount of famishment himself. He uncapped the flimsy plastic lid with condensation bubbling on its translucent underside. He was assaulted with a billowing cloud of steamy goodness as he inhaled the unmistakable scent. After a quick prayer, he dug into his Ramen with a renewed gusto. And for a brief moment, all troubles surmounting throughout the days and months prior could be shoved away with a mouthful of noodles. He actually began to slow down and eat at a more subdued pace as he took in the unlikely seen surrounding him.

He felt a comforting tranquility and contentment. One that seemed to come only in frustratingly small doses but that fueled him just enough to pick himself back up and try again. And it did so now, as the food revitalized his energy, the two carefree huntresses chowing down on their respective dishes next to him restoring his conviction. No matter how alone he could feel in these days of uncertainty, he still had his reasons for pushing forward. A fleeting thought drifted to the prisoner in the seal next to his warming gut. He almost felt pity for the beast, having no one and nothing to fall back upon. It must have been a lonely existence.

In their anxious feast, they hardly noticed the heavy door being heaved open.

"Hey every- Ewww! Don't any of you have any manners?"

"Hghy Wghiss!" The consecutive greeting of the pale woman was obstructed on all fronts by mouthfuls of food. Weiss looked disgustedly at the horror show in front of her, unbelieving of the manners, or lack thereof, displayed by her teammates. They were almost as bad, no, at this point it seemed they were even worse than the human vacuum that occupied the bed immediately in front of her. Naruto at least had the decency (was this possible?) to swallow a bulging cheek-full of noodles before he greeted her.

"Hey Weiss. What'cha doing here?"

"Geeze! Naruto, put a shirt on!"

Yang and Ruby looked at one another, and then at the boy for what seemed to be the first time. He was indeed naked from the waist up, though still fully enveloping his lower half was the wool blanket. Neither had given it much thought at all, growing up in a household with only their father to set an example for them, they were not as prudish as perhaps they ought to be when it came to matters of decency. However, this was their friend and teammate in the hospital bed next to them, and ignoring the fraternal bond they shared, he was only in his early teens.

"Weiss, its Naruto. Get over it."

Yang admonished the young woman in a rare moment of maturity. Though, she had to admit that it was rather curious that her sister also seemed unaffected. Naruto was a sturdy boy, and his young body was at a level of perfection testament to his doubtless ruthless training regime. If she were Ruby's age, she might have found the boy, nay young man, attractive. But as it was, she was rather more curious than amorous in regards to her compatriot in hospice. Part clinical, part sisterly concern she observed the single blemish on his trained physique, a star-shaped scar about the size of an orange perched over the place his heart should be.

Seeing she was not going to progress in conveying her point, Weiss sighed and decided to remove the mystery for her sudden appearance.

"Sorry I'm late guys, I know that I have not exactly been the most reliable teammate today. But I just heard that you two lost, and that Yang got hurt, so I wanted to find you." She nudged a chipped tile with her petit foot, hands wringing behind her back so as to hide her embarrassment. "And I just got here now, because, well, I just woke up." She had set her alarm for noon, to make sure that she could be there at least at the end of the match, and either congratulate or support her teammates for either eventuality, but she had instead slept right through it. It was very uncharacteristic for herself to be so slothful, and especially when it coincided with dereliction of duty from her duties as a teammate.

"Eh, don't worry about it, Weiss. You looked pretty out of it this morning." Ruby nodded with a mouthful of noodles in agreement with her sister. "Besides, I am not sure that I really want you seeing how our battle went!" Yang rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. Though it had long been non-verbally agreed that they would most likely lose to the younger huntsmen, it was still a little embarrassing to be so handily defeated by the two.

"You shouldn't depreciate yourself or Ruby like that Yang." Naruto added his two cents, otherwise content to be forgotten by the woman who seemed to have taken personal offense to his state of undress. "You guys did great, and it was actually a clos thing for a while there." Too close, if he had his way, but he was also glad that his friends at least could take care of themselves if push came to shove.

Ah, there was the blush Yang had expected, it came with the offhand praise from her friend. A chuckle in private at the idea that her younger sister interpreted such honest praise so intimate a concept.

"Anyway, you shouldn't beat yourself up Weiss. Everyone has times when they feel out of it." Naruto gave her a wide, but truthful smile. "Even me."

*Snort* "I doubt that." Yang nearly choked as she took a bite from her own Styrofoam container. They all shared a friendly laugh with that thought, or at Yang's snort. No one could quite tell, or care.

"Here."

Naruto professed one of the half-dozen cooling containers of food to the still standing Weiss. She blinked as she regarded the professed gift.

"We have more than enough food, and you're probably pretty hungry if you've been sleeping all day." Which was true, even as she tried to suppress the mammoth growl her famished stomach unleashed at the thought of food, she had to admit that smell permeating the small infirmary like an opium den was quite addicting.

"You'll probably like this one, it's not too spicy."

Weiss hung up her usual decorum and highfalutin sentiments at the door. She shut the metal portal on the nightmares running through her mind since the previous night, and joined the jovial group in their repast. She took the folded paper container from the kindly smiling young man and sat down on the stool positioned between the two beds each holding their load of blond.

"Thanks, Naruto." She gave him a rare smile, all previous animosity either forgotten or at the very least postponed. But Weiss did not very much wish to keep that appointment, she decided. It was much nicer just sitting here, basking in the good company, than to go around looking for reasons to be upset.

It was a quiet, but comfortable supper the four of them shared, and one that could hardly be improved upon with anything in the world. Save…

"Hey, has anyone seen Blake?"

* * *

Blake had hardly even seen Emerald since the morning, finding a moment in which to talk to the mysterious girl alone proved to be an insurmountable task, at least for now. Rather than bemoan her lack of progress, however, she decided to try and root out another first-hand source of information. Though she had a fairly good idea of where the blond young man would be, she was not entirely sure if he would confide in her that sort of personal knowledge. They had mended some bridges, but it seemed that whatever it was the blond and verdette had discussed amongst the two of them was of a particular and sensitive nature, and she hesitated to assume she had that kind of rapport with Naruto at the moment.

Thus it was supremely fortuitous that she happened upon his other half, someone who she ironically felt much more kinship with, despite not sharing half the number of words she had with the blond. Though it could not be all attributed to chance, as she had kept tabs on the raven-haired teen since he reappeared with Nora of all people alighted on his shoulders after his battle against the members of her team. He had deposited the orange-haired woman with Ren, whom she very appreciatively swapped for her shorter mount, and then he had taken a seat beside them for the duration of the day's matches.

Then he had sat there. And sat there. Every time she had come back from her searches throughout the rapidly depopulating stadium for the illusive Emerald, she had found him in the same spot, staring into nothingness. The only movement she had witnessed from afar to indicate that he was still alive was that as she spied his pale face ghostly in the night air, he was now staring up at the shattered moon that hung there like a child's mobile.

She could see the fragments floating in his obsidian eyes as she ghosted over to him and sat adjacent in the plastic stadium seats, grown cold with the disappearance of the sun. She waited, sure that he had known her approach. She had long since given up trying to sneak up on the boy. The two youths had countlessly exhibited their hyper-awareness and uncanny ability to see in the dark almost as well as any Faunus. At least, when not distracted by some internal turmoil. Though there was no change in the steady and shallow breathes that were beginning to fog in the growing cold, she knew, that he was not as far away as he could have wished.

"Am I a good person?" Sasuke asked this suddenly to the accompanying silence that Blake dared not disturb, for it did not feel as if he was truly asking her.

"I told you once, that I wasn't. I was telling you the truth, as I knew it then." Sasuke heaved a shallow sigh. "Now. Now I have no idea what I am. The things I have done, the things I do now, I have no way to know whether or not they are the actions of a good man. I do not know if I even want to be a good man. I have no idea what I want to do. I envy Naruto in his surety. No matter what he does, he has the conscious of a man who knows he is righteous."

But this was a convenient lie, Sasuke knew it, and Blake knew it, so she would not humor his self-delusion. She wanted to press forward to the immediate concern.

"Is Naruto in some kind of trouble?"

"We are all in trouble."Sasuke responded automatically.

"Sasuke…"

Blake was not in the mood to entertain such wasted moping. However, she remembered a time when the young man next to her had tested his own fortitude against an equally obstinate woman.

"What is this all about Sasuke?" She would have to present him with specifics if she wanted to make any headway in this loop. It may be close to crossing a line, but she had to know. "The two of you work for Ozpin, right? Is it something he's asking the two of you to do?"

"So you figured out that much, huh?" He did not seem to be all that surprised that she had worked out their affiliation. He was perturbed, but not from anything she had said. It went much deeper than the secrets they were sharing with the headmaster, and that was a troubling thought. In fact, it did not matter to him as he continued on his self-centered train of thought.

"He always seems to maintain that I am. No one is past redemption to him." He broke his gaze from the most hypnotic of Earth's satellites to look her in her eyes. She would not have characterized Sasuke as person who could ever look lost, but the young man she saw in front of her certainly was stuck at an impasse and was forced to choose the path to which he did not know the destination, nor the pitfalls along the trail.

"Blake, I have told you some of what I have done. But there is more. So much more. More than either you or I will ever know. My family is a history of hate and deceit and I am just the latest iteration. I always thought it was my purpose to cleanse the blight on my family, to redeem our prestige and importance. But now, I wonder if that is what I am truly doing. Is justice my own, or is it what others believe is right?"

If this bout of self-reflection was indeed due to whatever task it was the headmaster was having them accomplish under the noses of their friends and colleges, it was perhaps so profound that Blake was not sure if she wanted to know the exact nature. But she suspected the problem stemmed far deeper than the roots they had sewn at Beacon. Their past they had dismissed, if not to forget it, or to obscure it, then to downplay how much it truly meant to them. She could only answer the truth as she had come to know it.

"Justice is a fraud." He looked up from where he was fixated on his own hands, curiously horrified as if they had been forever stained with blood. She continued. "Justice is not a real thing. Right and wrong, are not real either. When I was in the White Fang, justice was moving target, and right and wrong in flux. I did not follow the concept less than I did the people." She touched upon a sore subject in her life. Though she was not hesitant to tell him of her time in the White Fang, for she was sure he at least had some idea, she was anxious to remember the man she had loved and admired. "Any certainty we find in justice is a lie. What is true is of the people you surround yourself with. We are the company we keep. We choose these people as surely as we choose our actions we take every day."

She thought of her own tumultuous past. She thought back on all the things she had done under the pretense of doing the right thing, but that all along was for a person who was not her form of justice. She thought of Adam. She thought of how she forced herself away from him, because she knew that what he was doing was not right. But she also knew that she loved and admired him, idolized him and held him to a lofty standard that she could never quite cast aside. It was her choice to forgo his company, and she desperately hoped that this choice vindicated her.

She hoped that the company of those who loved and cared for her now would outweigh the orbits of her previous life. God, how was she expected to provide direction when she herself was so lost? She sought action to slate her restless mind, things she could do that would make their world a better place for the people she cared for. When it came to thought, she either thought too much, or too little.

She almost wished he could read her mind, so she didn't have to explain just how truly little she knew. But still, something of her words seem to get through to the boy, and an amused twinkle caught in his eye as he turned back to the shattered remains of the moon.

"We are the company we keep, huh? Wonder what that says about us?" She looked at him quizzically, unaccustomed to being included in the young man's inner circle. Was he talking about her? Or was he talking about himself and Naruto? He in turn looked back at her, a small but soft smirk on his face. "Bunch of hyperactive, prudish, vulgar, idiotic, deranged, cowardly, foolhardy maniacs. We must be pretty broken if these are the people we call friends."

She couldn't help but laugh at his assessment, and her amusement echoed round the empty stadium, accompanying the two of them in their private joke were thousands of laughs. She reached a hand and touched his cheek, pale alabaster in the silver light. Skin, almost as soft as her own.

"Being broken doesn't feel too bad, does it?"

* * *

Glynda felt bad about her actions, like she had betrayed something more than the young man's confidence, but she kept reassuring herself that it was for the best interests of the entirety of them. She eyed medical evaluation along with the spectral-analysis of the mysterious runic structure on his abdomen she had obtained after the sedatives she had given Naruto had knocked him well and truly unconscious. She may have been versed in all manner of symbolic languages and structures but she could make no sense of the foreign markings bleeding through the tracer paper rolled carefully into the hermitically sealed tube under her arm.

She understood why Ozpin wanted this information. Though the young man had volunteered the knowledge about the demonic presence sealed within him, and had assured them that he could contain the supposedly massive energy, they had only his word to go by. They had no reason to mistrust him, but his assessment of his own status may not have been fully informed. If something happened to the seal potentially containing a power of such magnitude, they had to know, lest their carefully laid plans come into jeopardy.

And if what the boy asserted was true, it could potentially tip the balance of the coming war in their favor, or perhaps against it. It was just negligence not to be fully informed about a variable as critical as that. Was it not a parent's duty to make the tough choices that the child wouldn't?

Still, as much as she recited this mantra on her way back from the floating arena that shadowed the city of Vale even in the depth of night, she could not help but feel as if they were making some kind of mistake. It was nothing short of presumptuous to presume herself worthy of such a role, and demeaning to consider the two young men incapable of difficult choices. The two of them had shown up out of the afternoon sun and had been immediately plunged into a fight in which they had to scrounge up their own stake or be swept up in the resulting hellfire. They owed the people of Remnant nothing, and if all went well, they might end up owing everything to the two foreigners. What right did they have to go behind their backs like this? What right did they have to even ask them?

Glynda sighed and quietly shut the door to the infirmary. With a swipe of her riding crop the walls blocking off the main passage from any unwanted interruption intruding on her evaluation sunk away into the homogenous tons of concrete that constituted the vast majority of architecture on the flying arch. Satisfied with the lack of evidence of her presence, she turned and made her way to the waiting bullhead transport that would contain her headmaster and companion anxiously awaiting the results she had obtained, and probably as emotionally exhausted as her after informing one of his star pupils of her monumental choice that she would be forced to make.

And how soon would that choice need to come? From all sources, it was apparent that the beginning of the end was nigh. She almost wished it along, praying for the resulting chaos to cleanse whatever sins she had been forced to administer in the name of a better tomorrow, of a tomorrow at all. She banished these selfish thoughts in a fury of self-reproach. She would gladly accept whatever fate awaited her, as long as her sacrifice was for something.

She would gladly sacrifice herself a thousand times over, and knew her longtime companion would as well. But even that, may not be enough. She shuddered to think of the course of events in a reality where the heavens did not send them the two anomalies. Would the strength of their own world have been enough?

Ozpin was always fond of assuring her that throughout history, no matter how dire the situation seemed, good always triumphed over evil in the end. But the history was always written by the winners, and with the writing of history came the ability to define right and wrong. What then, would history say of them if they won?

If they lost?

She hoped she would not have to find out.


	22. Underdog World Strike

**Alright! (I like to congratulate myself whenever I survive another day).**

 **But more to your concerns, thank you once again for sticking with me, and here we are! We are getting pretty close to the end of Season 3, and I think I finally have this story heading where I want. Know that I really do appreciate all the comments made on my previous chapters, you guys may be few in number, but every one of your comments, no matter how short is important to me.**

 **That being said, I would like to give a special thanks for people who took time to write out what they think I did well, and what I did not. This includes S.P. Roy ; Follow the Code ; and all of you lazy bottom feeders that won't get a profile, thanks!**

 **If you do have criticism, please let me know (though if you got this far, from what people have said, you made it through the worst of it). I won't bite your head off. I am mortal and I miss things. Jeirin, I hope the last chapter answered some questions. I had not forgotten about Kurama, but I was still a little bit unsure of the exact relationship I wanted him to have with Naruto. I hope I have not turned anyone off by the way I presented him before, but if I did, give a convincing argument. I cannot guarantee it will do much, but I'll read it! I may even answer.**

 **Seriously though, have a question, if it doesn't reveal too much about the story line, I will do my best to explain my reasoning. Simple "Good Job"s are appreciated as well.**

 **Anyway, I always think of much more amusing things to write in my head when I lay down in my bed, part of the reason I have not been able to sleep much. But for now, I will cut the small talk and get back to writing things I, and my cute little readers actually want to read while I currently don't have someone breathing down my neck.**

* * *

Naruto sat upright in the hospital bed canted at an oblique angle, fixated on the cool metal blade cradled in his lap. He was fixated on the distorted kaleidoscope of his own reflection in the iridescent polish, muted under the hum of the faint blue glow of the lights. Isolated from the outside world and detached now from the company of those he had begun to reconcile as friends, he nevertheless found a sense of serenity within himself and the eternity reflected between his eyes and the mirrored blade. A thousand million worlds scattering off into eternity, broken, but all part of the same whole that was himself and the love of those precious to him.

He had tried to apologize to the maker of both Godaime and the forever ill-fated Sandaime, but the girl had vehemently refused to hear such a thing. She expressed only concern over his still bandaged limb, and when he finally convinced her that he was fine, she could only relate how proud she was that he had outstripped her own craftsmanship. She was glad at least that the much less complex sword had survived his harsh treatment, and Ruby swore that as soon as given ample opportunity, she would return to the drawing board with renewed vigor, rectifying the problems he had so generously proved out of the design.

He smiled amusedly to himself. He himself could not quite understand the logic behind her fervent desire, but admired her passion none the less. She was so much like him, in that respect, constantly trying to outdo one's own previous iteration. He found that he was inherently attracted to those types of people as well, the ones he surrounded himself with were those with a passion that they followed to the ends of their abilities, for better or worse. Even if that passion was for doing nothing at all but watching the clouds slowly pass.

Or even if that passion was for revenge. His smile diminished slightly. He acknowledged his own fault, as much as his friend's. They were so alike in their determinations, their past and now their present, but for the grace of god had come to such different conclusions regarding life. He had tried many a time to get his friend to see the error of his ways, to no avail. It seemed now that the other boy was ready to admit their alikeness, but now with his stalwart conviction reinvigorated in his blood, he wanted to show him how that sameness bred such different fates. The trick now, was surviving it.

He gently picked up the ersatz sheath of faun leather and covered the double-edged blade with it, his hands tracing the Frankenstein parts, piecemeal construction so hurriedly yet oddly lovingly effected. It was yet another reminder that he was no longer alone in this endeavor.

After gorging themselves on their plebian gourmet, Yang and Ruby had both professed a desire to return to their dorm to sleep and change out of the clothes they had worn since that morning's combat. They felt bad about leaving their male companion alone in the unfriendly infirmary, for Naruto had been instructed by Goodwitch to spend the rest of the night there out of precaution. But as strange as it would seem, Weiss had volunteered to stay up with the blond, both of them having slept the better part of the day, and thus felt far too restless after consuming so many calories to simply fall asleep again.

So she stayed for some hours still and was recounted the synopsis of the day's match. Not merely content to stay a tacit observer, Weiss had volunteered her services in mending a sheath for his blade which had lost its housing with the destruction of the shield. All parties had been surprised not only be the offer, but the surety with which Weiss claimed to be able to produce such an item using the materials at hand. Their skepticism was assuaged when she materialized a small sewing kit out of the fold of her dress, lecturing them all on the importance of carrying such a useful item in the event of just such a necessity.

So they had chatted long into the night while Weiss stitched up the cover using strips of Yang's donated leather jacket, torn and unsightly singed from the combat, as well as spare ninja wire Naruto had produced from his own supplies, carefully guarded with the rest of his clothing.

It was so oddly natural, just sitting there talking. Conversation seemed to flow naturally, and there was no trace of any of the abrasiveness that hounded all of their previous interactions. Something seemed to have changed in Weiss, a kind of tranquil humility had been pressed upon her, and she appeared content to dote upon the young man, who was unaccustomed but not opposed to such dutiful affection. She seemed to enjoy occupying the sisterly role, and he in turn, though he could not positively identify it as such, enjoyed being the younger brother in their game.

Even when the odd job was done, and the puzzled cover fitted over the cutting edge, Weiss stayed perched on the stool by his side for hours yet. It was only when her morning alarm went off at the crack of dawn that either of them realized they had spent the entire night talking amicably. When it came to parting, there was no embarrassment or awkwardness, just an honest incredulity and friendly goodbye as the young woman left to return to her shared dorm, both to make sure that the rest of her team had made it back alright as well as to retrieve a few daily necessities. She left Naruto to prepare himself for the day with new lease on life, and strangely enough a feeling of having been rested despite not getting a wink.

He was left in that place where the lie of second thought could not survive.

The door opened without a knock, and Naruto was prepared to greet his visitor with a positive attitude. Which was difficult, but not impossible to sustain when the mildly scowling, tan face fixed him with a crimson stare and tossed an armful of clothes which scattered slightly in the air before coming to a disheveled heap on the foot of the bed. He did not look at the limp projectile and instead focused on the unamused visage of a person who had become a constant vexation and point of contention in his life as of late. But he would not renege on his current path.

"Cinder wants you to wear this today."

At the very least, that solved the clothing problem he had been delaying trying to solve for the last few hours. His other set of nearly brand-new clothes had once again suffered the wrath of his careless abandon when it came to fighting, and the apart from the sleeves of all three layers having been shredded off of the left side, the whole ensemble reeked a musty smell from the soaked in sweat and was freckled with countless bloodstains.

Though what he had been provided was not exactly what he would have chosen for the occasion, though it was appropriate. He had not had to investigate the heap to know that it was his ANBU disguise, the heft of the bone-white armor and slick black gloss of the fire-retardant was more than enough for him to recognize. It was a clear message, intended both for him and for the prospective audience.

Today was the day.

Just what this portended, he had only the faintest inclination, but nodded his acknowledgement anyway to the green-haired woman who turned to leave after discharging her duty. She had not but looked away when he a voice stopped her.

"Emerald."

The sound of her name in Naruto's voice was a clawed hand that dug into her shoulder and spun her around. She fixed the person who had spoken with a defiant glance that carried no small amount of fear. While trying countless times to convince herself that the blond boy was all he appeared to be, the mere fact that Cinder had taken an interest in him at all, combined with that look he gave her not long ago had shaken her resolve in more ways than one, not that she would ever admit.

Naruto was not quite sure why she turned back, or indeed who had called out to her, but was presented with a novel opportunity to interact with the woman now that he had achieved some small amount of tranquil acceptance. He saw the twinge of fear behind her glare and cringed subtly inside. He may have been at odds with her, but he regretted letting the part of him he reserved for the duty Ozpin insisted on doing the talking. That part of him was undeniably there, but brought up too many painful memories.

" _Don't worry, Naruto, the shield is just a tool. You are my friend, and much more important than an object."_

But for the past he could recount, that is exactly what he had been. Regardless of his professed intentions, he had been little more than a tool for Ozpin, and indeed for himself as he struggled to find a way home no matter the cost. He was not honoring the memory of Haku by doing this, and that to him was more hefty than all the blood he had spilt.

"Well? What do you want? Spill it?"

Her abrasive personality made whatever he wanted to achieve all the more difficult, but now that he had gained some small part of his true nature back, he wanted to rectify the situation, if only to assuage his own conscious. He had made acquaintance with her under duress, and on the side of a fight he had gotten far too emotionally involved in. By doing what he assumed he had to do, he had forgotten who he was and what mattered most.

"I'm sorry."

The declaration hung in the air for an eternity before the words registered in the woman's mind.

"What the fuck?"

Though he knew she had heard him the first time, he was about to repeat what he had just said when she beat him to it.

"What in the hell do you have to be sorry for? I don't give a shit about you, and I sure as hell don't want your pity."

He shook his head, denying her supposition.

"It's not pity. I just wanted to say that I was sorry for the way I have taken my frustrations out on you. You're just the messenger, and though we may not be on the same side, per se, that doesn't have to mean that we are enemies."

She gawked at him incredulously, not quite able to keep up with the sudden paradigm shift. He looked at her and it hit home then just how much it was possible she could be like his effeminate enemy-turned-friend. He had been persuaded from the start by Ozpin that the sins he committed were in the name of the greater good, and that they were in defense against the people conniving to undo the hard work that had done to achieve piece. He had long taken the whole thing at face value. Not that it was not the headmaster's fault, either. He was stalwart in his convections as wrought by years of devotion. It was not Naruto's duty to get caught up in that, and in fact was against his greater purpose, to be an outside agent to effect change. He had failed himself, his teammate, and Ozpin by not remembering this.

"I don't know why you decided to go with Cinder. I never asked and that was my fault. You may have had very good reasons, just like I hope you know I do. You probably didn't have a good life before you met her, didn't have much of a choice anyway, and in that way I think it is sad, because you and I are so similar. I tried to simplify things to good and bad and that was wrong of me. I'm sorry."

Emerald growled at the repetition of the apology, and in defense at being caught so off-guard by the blond's sudden illuminated thought. Nor did she appreciate being likened to the young man in front of her. She resented his newfound contentment and more so his luck at having achieved such a comfortable life with people he could count on, though she herself did not quite grasp this.

"Just shut up. I don't need your apology because you and I are not friends. You are working with us because you want something that the mistress can give you. After that, you will leave and never have to deal with the consequences. You are nothing but a selfish brat."

Naruto nodded solemnly.

"That's right, I was."

She was a bit take a back before A shade of color drained from Emerald's tanned face at the implications.

"What do you mean "was"? You better do what we ask or…" Her hand slid down to the bladed pistol at her side, she did not want to be the one to make the first move, but she would sure as hell be the one to make the last. Though in this, she doubted even herself. Even if the blond looked convalescent at the moment, she knew what kind of monstrous speed he could produce.

Which is why we was very careful and obvious when peeled back the scraggly blanket and swung his legs over the side of the bed, immensely grateful that whoever had undressed him had left his undergarments un place. He did not want to startle the twitchy young woman in either respect.

He shook his head negative.

"No, I'll be fighting today, just like she asked." He turned his head to face the cautious woman. "But this is the last thing that I will be doing for you, do you understand?"

She did, and part of her was screaming out to just cut the defenseless boy down where he stood, before he could further jeopardize their plans. But something stayed her hand, and they both stood looking at each other. What was it about the empty look he had fixed her with that shoved all prudent course of action out the window? Why could she not pull the trigger? Cinder was sure to have her head and Mercury would never let her live it down.

Braking his staring match with her, and uncaring of her hand hovering precariously close to her weapon, he reached for his pants and began dressing deliberately. Her hand twitched in response, but did nothing else.

He continued dressing as she quietly turned and shut the door, cutting off whatever thoughts had been circling around the odd encounter. She shook her head in dismay and disbelief and made her way back to where Cinder was awaiting her return.

A pair of onyx eyes tracked her from the shadows.

Naruto had finished hitching up his shin guards, tucking the excess strap under the buckle and standing up to don the chest plate. He had turned around, but could still feel the door open. As soon as it happened, he knew it was not the woman returning to rectify her mistake. He knew more than the radiating chakra who was standing behind him. He could feel the emanating presence which he knew like the back of his hand.

"Hey Sasuke."

"Hey yourself."

Naruto shrugged the vest over his sleeveless undershirt, turning to face his friend and partner who only raised an eyebrow to ask the overlying question.

"I need to fight today."

As if that explained everything, the dark-haired boy nodded gravely.

"Be careful."

Naruto paused in his preparations to look at the last of the Uchiha who raised his gaze to meet the curious azurite marbles.

"You too, Sasuke."

With the conversation of just a few spoken words, and a thousand ones left unspoken, Sasuke turned to leave, his own duties changed and now needed immediate attention. Naruto secured the clasps of the vest, slipped on the arm guards with practiced ease he had never imagined he would possess, before he turned back to the remaining pile of equipment.

"Naruto."

He glanced back to his teammate poised in the transept. A small purple bundle was clutched in his hand, and he tossed it to Naruto who caught it deftly.

"Just remember you're not fighting alone."

Naruto smirked as he let the river of fabric unfold from his grasp before wrapping the silken article around his neck. It hung there draping down his back, weightless and carrying all of his most valuable possessions. It would be ample padding when taking the world on his shoulders.

"Back at you."

* * *

"You're back."

Emerald shot her partner a contemptuous glance, but did not verbally greet the boy as he leaned against the concrete wall. He hardly even registered to her between the attention from her mistress and the very odd encounter she had left behind. Cinder waited patiently for Emerald to give her report, which she simply confirmed she had completed her task. She felt odd at that, not having related the exchange with the young man with her leader. It was not like she had elaborated any of their previous encounters, nor had Cinder pressed her on the matter, which now she felt odd as well.

She had served as primary liaison between them for some time now, primarily so they could keep as much of their plans and actors secret for as long as possible, and in all that time Cinder had never asked of her more than a simple yes or no regarding her charge. Though Cinder assured them that she had something to persuade the boy, she never expanded on this and did not want to risk having him gain access to anything truly critical to their plans. Still, if he wanted to throw a wrench in their plans, now would be the best time for him to do so. He doubtlessly knew something big was afoot. Not that he could possibly know what it was.

"Is there something else, Emerald?"

The young woman flinched, having realized she drifted off in thought and had remained silent for a suspicious amount of time. She shook her head in the negative, but that did not seem to convince either of the two.

"What's the matter, Emm? Scared I'm going to hurt your boyfriend?"

Would that she could light the boy on fire with her glare. She even considered drawing her weapon on him, if only to be rid of his consternating attitude once and for all.

"I'm worried. Worried that he might try something today." She confessed. "Although, if he were to kill you I might not mind that much." She spat at him and Mercury pushed himself off the wall with a huff, equally fed up with their verbal sparring and with his own nerves running high was equally ready to settle their differences then and there.

Cinder quickly put a stop to their little spat with a withering glare that culled both the two's anger and stifled their attempts at bodily harming one another. They both had hang-dog looks at letting their inclinations potentially jeopardize the carefully laid out mission. Cinder singled Emerald out again.

"What makes you think this?"

Because he outright told me? No, she could not admit this, if she did, she would also have to tell her mistress that she had a chance to eliminate the problem and did not take it.

"I'm just worried he will take a hint from the fact that you wanted him to wear that costume."

Cinder just readopted her self-assured smirk that both assuaged Emerald's fears and admittedly creeped her out, slightly.

"Not to worry. As long as the two of you each do your parts as I instructed you, everything will turn out just fine. It is as I say, they will only every see what I want them to see."

* * *

"Do you see how it works?"

Winter pursed her lips as she ran a delicate finger over the oddly labyrinthine circular markings, seeing if physically copying the movements might uncover some hidden physical memory. As a Schnee, she had an innate ability to project her family's glyphs in combat, and she herself had taken it as a personal task to study their inner workings, not content with merely being bequeathed them through blood, she wanted to understand them. But this drawing in front of her was totally foreign to her. It shared some components with the glyphs that constituted key devices and focal points, but totally neglected others. And still there were things that shouldn't be possible, or seemed totally extraneous in her estimation. She related as much to the headmaster when he asked this.

Ozpin was as unflappable as ever, humming in thought over the rim of his coffee cup. But inside he was more than a little disappointed, but not surprised. The two looked, functioned, and more or less behaved like any one of them that it was easy to forget they were not. This was just another reminder of this fact. But still, there had been some minute chance that the veracity of Naruto's claim about his tenant could be confirmed with some critical investigation. It had not hurt to try.

But he was still worried. According to all of their extensive scientific and mythic knowledge, something like this was totally improbable. In fact, it should be impossible. It was like a human with a tail, who was somehow not a Faunus. The mysteries that surrounded their differences just were, when they by all logic could not be. The physics that governed their universes had to be similar, but different enough that what worked for them, would work for no one else. He still could not quite pin down what form of energy this 'chakra' was. It was not a part, nor was it constituted from Aura. It was just something else entirely. Trying to isolate it into their ideas was like fitting a parallelogram into a square hole. It could be done with a big enough hammer, but would ruin the true form of the object.

This is what Ozpin was worried about. If the seal on Naruto's stomach worked on Chakra, consuming a substance that could only be produced in his body, what would happen if and when he ran out? It was all well and good if the seal was reliant solely on him, but by simply being in their world, was their physics endangering the seal's structure? It seemed to him at least that they were living on borrowed time already.

"Excuse me, headmaster? May I ask what this is supposed to be?"

Ozpin adopted a smile drawing a curtain over all his internally staged drama.

"Just a little side project."

* * *

Upon leaving his partner to collect himself in the time remaining, Sasuke brushed aside all concerns over him and hermetically sealed them in the sterilized room. He had his own project to work on now that he was not fighting, and like his comrade, time was waning. He steeled himself. It had never been hard for him to compartmentalize his emotions and he did so now for the sake of their safety first and foremost, all local concerns coming second, if at all.

He first needed to alert those concerned that Naruto would be standing in for him in the final round. Not out of concern for the either their handlers or the spectators eagerly awaiting the correct information pertaining to the fight, but it would simply not do if someone were to come looking for him when he most certainly did not want to be found. Things were moving without a doubt now, and he did not want to be caught in the path of the pendulum's swing.

He located Goodwitch easily enough, having run into her earlier in the day. She had arrived to the arena at the crack of dawn, even before the taciturn shinobi to facilitate the day's course. It seemed to Sasuke that she was always bustling back and forth on one mission or another, and toyed with the possibility that she had in fact never left the stadium, burning the midnight oil managing both her duties here as well as her normal duties as deputy headmistress. He almost felt bad sloughing off yet another situation for her to rectify. Almost.

She was nose deep in her tablet, pocking away at unseen targets and eyes darting back and forth at buzzing flies that lay just inside the window she had cradled. She briefly reminded him of their long-lost sensei, eyes fixated on words in front of them, yet somehow managing to navigate the perils of life whizzing around them. This thought soured as he realized that if the scarecrow kept half the punctuality that Goodwitch did, they in all likelihood would not be in the position they were in now. He pushed this unfair and overarching speculation aside.

He stopped dead in front of her, risking getting run over in her warpath to whatever emergency she was rushing off to extinguish then, trusting her undeniable skills as a professional huntress to halt her in time. He was not disappointed as she approached the immobile barrier and without detaching herself from her handheld device, acknowledged his presence.

"Mr. Uchiha."

She displayed no overt surprise at having been accosted for the second time this morning by the young man and in fact displayed little emotion at all, buried as she was in the greenish glow of her work laid out in digital format in front of her.

"Naruto will be fighting in the final round in my place."

The declaration given without preamble was event enough to give the woman pause in her ministrations and detach herself from her electronic. Her eyes were focused on him laser-like over her ovoid glasses.

"What?"

She swept a hand over the virtual stacks of paper on her plate and cast them aside so that she could devote her full attention to this confrontation. The tablet fell tucked to her side removing the only barrier between the two.

"But Mr. Uzumaki is injured, he cannot be expected to compete in his-"

"You know as well as I do that Naruto is fine. He can handle it."

Risking his neck interrupting the staunch proprietress, he was not going to waste time mincing words this morning. He knew, that she knew, Naruto would be fully recovered by the morning, and there was no reason he could not substitute in for Sasuke in the match. He owed her no further explanation either, as made clear before by the headmaster. They were to be given some leeway to operate with autonomy, being able to react to the dangers at hand without seeking permission from any sort of command structure. Ozpin seemed to trust them at least this much, and Sasuke was now banking on this.

Glynda pursed her lips and looked ready to unleash a tongue lashing of epic proportions for the curt tone he had taken with her, but remained diminutively silent for a good while. She knew her duty as well as her boundaries in these matters, and had no choice but to let the matter go for lack of a more solid argument.

"Right."

She acknowledged this update, defeat unnatural but overt in her one worded reply. Sasuke nodded in concord and moved off in the direction from whence she had come, leaving the woman to process this interaction.

A foreign twinge tugged at his chest before he could turn the corner. He tossed a tidbit over his shoulder.

"He got the scarf."

And with that, he disappeared.

Glynda allowed herself a tiny bit of satisfaction knowing that her small consideration had been delivered. It was all she could do as of last night to salvage that piece of his vestige that had not been ruined by the previous day's match, and to have it cleaned and returned to the young man that he might have something familiar to accompany him wherever he went, to go along with the headband that he so doggedly guarded at all times.

It was indeed the lest she could do. Whatever she did she knew would never amount to the sacrifice that the two were willing, and had already made on their behalf. Every good deed, every reciprocity that she crafted would only ever fill at most halfway the volume of debt they owed them. Each act returning half of what was left, so that this little act might only be half of what was left, and the next half of that, and so on to infinity, half always remaining in their coffer. It was a paradox of life that forever haunted her. Things always remaining incomplete.

As he turned the corner, Sasuke paused in deliberation. It was against his better nature and judgment what he sought to do next, but it was an inclination he could not banish from his mind. They all were reaching a point of no return. He had taken certain liberties already that hinged on whatever it was his partner was to do being necessary. He knew not when it happened, but he had begun to trust the blond in matters of such import. At first, it had been because he was the only familiar object in their slanted reality. But now, it was with ease that he entrusted such grave matters to the young ninja, his confidence infectious and immutable, and now with a certain level of maturity that made him credible.

It was only slowly he had come to realize that he was dependent on others in this foreign land, and rather than deny this fact or take shame in his reliance on others, he rolled with it with only little friction. He trusted one person already, what was one more?

* * *

She eyed the amorphous cloud-like kernel sandwiched between her thumb and forefinger, wide eyed and lustful a she saw it glisten in the sunlight streaming through the open stadium canopy. She knew she shouldn't, the fights were not scheduled to start for at least another half-hour, still, one more wouldn't hurt…

"Ruby!"

"Mph?"

"Quit eating the popcorn!"

Yang berated he juvenile younger sibling as she tried to snatch the no longer over-flowing candy-cane patterned carton from Ruby before she could devour any more. She should have known better, for Ruby guarded the container jealously as she would any sweet, huddling over the remainder and growling ferally at the offending limb straying near her victuals.

Yang glared with unsteady eyelids at her younger sister's behavior. She had been the one to shell out the money for it! What had begun as a simple effort to keep any stray kernels form falling off of the snack-Matterhorn balanced worryingly precariously on the way to their seats promised to devolve into a binge if she did not interdict soon!

"Ruby, give it!"

Yang planted a hand on Ruby's head as she tried to climb over the crouched girl to reach the bucket being thrust as far as Ruby's two arms could manage away from the aerial attack.

"Noooooo! My precious!"

This dramatic power struggle which began at the two seats recently obtained in the spectator's tiers quickly expanded to occupy the entire row as no one in their right mind wanted to get wrapped up in the ballooning row. And now that there appeared to be pointed objects entering into the mix, the whole section considered relocating to avoid collateral damage.

"Ha! Got it!"

Yang had pried the precious container from her sister and held it up in admiration of her victory, sun haloed behind it like a holy relic as Ruby wept in dejected loss of her mid-morning snack.

"Victory is m- hey! Wait a minute!"

Yang reached to pluck out a sample fruit of her labors but felt nothing but the slick paper bottom coated in remaining butter and salt. She probed it again, searching every nook and cranny for a stray corn, though none remained, not even an un-popped one!

"Huh? I didn't think I finished them all."

Ruby peered over her sister's shoulder into the bucket. Yang, having lost all interest in the container with its modified status devoid of morsels, indifferently tossed the waste over her shoulder. Where it promptly got stuck on Ruby's spying face. The girl fell back into her seat as she tried with all four limbs to remove the offending cover. Yang just sighed and flopped back into her own plastic seat, a little too hard she realized as the quazi-ergonomic design dug into her lumbar. Aside from the struggling girl on her right, she could glean past the pain in her lower back, the discreet sound of munching from her other side.

"Hey!"

Weiss and Blake both averted their eyes from the blonde's accusing glare and pointed finer, both their cheeks stuffed like squirrels with what was doubtlessly the remainder of the popcorn, which Yang, despite having been the one who paid for it, did not get to partake in its salty pleasure.

"Traitors…" Yang grumbled and crossed her arms in a huff. Behind her, Ruby managed to pry the container away from her face with an audible 'pop'. She blinked, finally free from her confinement and basking in the glorious morning light once again, the sun's rays shimmering off of the oily drippings left on her cheeks. A shadow fell over her once again, but this was from an object behind her, rather than in front.

"Hey Sasuke!"

Ruby greeted the boy excitedly, either unaware or uncaring of her disheveled appearance.

"Want some popcorn?"

She held the now quite certainly empty bucked up to the unamused boy, who only shook his head in the negative. The three other young woman all directed their attention to the newcomer, and were at a loss not only at his sudden appearance, but at his neutral response to Ruby's obvious foolishness.

"Wait, weren't you supposed to fight today?"

Ruby voiced a question the others had not yet thought to ask, but were now equally curious.

"No. Naruto will be fighting." Though this declaration rose far more questions that bubbled to the surface all at once from the team which all knew through separate experience that Naruto had been holed-up in the infirmary for the past day now. But Sasuke cut them all off at the quick, as he addressed the black-haired beauty inserted in the middle of the group.

"Blake, could I talk to you for a minute?"

Three sets of eyes turned to her, while her own were the only ones capable of projecting the un-vocalized question.

"Yeah, sure."

She answered automatically, more curious than embarrassed, despite the incredulous looks shared by the remainder of team RWBY. She hopped over the gawking Yang and Ruby to the stairway with catlike grace, and without a word more to her team, Sasuke ushered the two of them back up into the entranceway, so that she might appraise whatever it was the boy wanted to convey in private. They all watched them go with wide eyes, before Ruby felt an itch on her face that she couldn't quite reach with her tongue, and began trying to remove the last vestiges of liquid butter-substitute from her face. The other two unaware of the girl's distress just kept watching the disappearing form of their friend, the eloquent response of Yang the only summation to the odd incident.

"Huh."

* * *

"Hmmm."

Glynda could not help but display the small twinge of frustration welling up in her veins stressed to the limit from consecutive nights with lack of adequate sleep and all of the accumulating duties that sprouted like weeds in her schedule. The noncommittal response her superior was displaying in response to her latest news was also not helping the situation either. Like an infamous portrait, Ozpin had only his painted ghost of a smile as he hummed in consideration, and Glynda was left only with the hope that this was in response to what she had just told him.

"Headmaster?"

She probed, careful to reign in whatever off the cuff animosity she might have been inclined to show in that instance.

Ozpin cupped his chin in his hand, and continued in his pensive thought, leaving the deputy headmistress to further stew in her own trepidations as she waited for an answer of some kind. She could not focus on any of her other duties until this current problem was addressed. She began to feel her fatigue mounting, aches and pains of muscles that had spent way too much time in a classroom voicing their protests after days on end spent upright. She was definitely taking a vacation after this was all over. Consequences be damned.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about."

While glad to no longer be mired in a one-way conversation, this was not the response the beleaguered woman had wanted nor expected.

"But Ozpin…" She was not going to let this casual response go without protestation, but no arguments were quickly forthcoming. She could offer up the fact that Naruto was in no condition to fight, or that they couldn't change the schedule on such short notice, or any number of other formulaic arguments, but all that was cut off as Ozpin raised his hand conducting her to silence.

"We need to be able to trust their judgment on this, Glynda. We have entrusted them to make on the spot decisions based on their situation. We can only give guidance from afar, not specific instructions." As always, Ozpin's ability to remain detached and levelheaded shone to the forefront. While Glynda bit her tongue to silence her own misgivings about this decision, she knew that she was perhaps too emotionally invested in the two youths to make sound decisions regarding their precarious position. On the other hand, she sometimes wished that the headmaster would display a tad bit more concern for his operatives that were risking more than simple life and limb in pursuit of a goal that as far as she knew, Ozpin was the only one to view in its entirety.

"That being said," Ozpin continued with the caveat to amend his previous statement. "we have our own duties that now must be addressed." This ambiguous comment was a wet blanket draped over the woman's shoulders, and Ozpin must have seen her deflate, for he clarified with a reprieve for his already over-worked second. "I must return to Beacon. I will oversee the situation there. If what you assume about their change in the final round really is coming as an order from our opponents, this could signal the start of a larger operation on their part. Clearly, they have something overt planned, and that means that we must be cautious, but deliberate. We will have to operate on a split-second's notice which means that like it or not, we must split our resources between here and beacon, as we do not know where or when, or even what their plans are at this point."

Ozpin looked off in the distance, eyes twitching slightly as if calculating something in his head. A single, resolute tap of the cane snapped the both of them from their trance and Ozpin spun on his heal to leave the way he came.

"I will contact James. He may have retracted most of his ships back to Atlas, but the few remaining could provide us with a critical eye over the whole area. Maybe under the pretense of a flyby, or perhaps a training drill. It would be prudent to alert him to be wary, but it would not do to make the public anxious and thus let on that we know anything. In the meantime, you should stay here and continue your duties for the festival as normal. I will send Qrow to help keep an eye on things."

Critical decisions made, Ozpin hopped back into the bullhead transport he had just arrived on, which made a quick, listing turn off of the docks and back the flightpath to beacon.

Glynda watched the craft depart with a growing tension in her core as it got smaller and smaller in her sight. She brushed a stray lock of flaxen hair the buffeting wind had tweaked loose back over her ear, and clutched her tablet to her welling chest. In all this time dealing with the headmaster and his machinations, she had not yet gotten used to divesting herself of attachments the way he could. She was a huntress, and could amply deal with whatever came her way. It was the waiting, and the not knowing which wore on her. Yes, it was the not knowing that was the worst of it.

She did not even know if there would be a chance for her well-earned vacation after this.

* * *

Well, now she knew.

She almost wished that she didn't. She wished that she could revel in her ignorant trust a little while longer while she got to know the two better, formed a more permanent bond with the young men that had mysteriously shown up that first day of the academy and had immediately mistrusted. She wanted to mend whatever was broken before she could pass final judgement. But sadly, her male counterpart was not going to allow her the chance to do so. He now demanded a leap of faith, that Blake was not so sure that she could make.

"So, what? I'm now just supposed to follow you blindly on whatever dark ventures you have started? Forgive me if I seem a little hesitant, but I have had enough trouble in the past trusting people implicitly. You are basically telling me that you two have been lying to us the whole time, without giving me any specifics, and you want me to believe whatever you tell me now?" Blake frowned and shook her head, more out of disbelief than outright rejection. She did, after all, want to believe that her newfound impression was valid.

Sasuke shrugged, seemingly uncaring of her dismissal, refusal, or whatever it was that she was constructing. He did not know why he had revealed anything at all to the woman in the first place. She had already coaxed out the fact that he and Naruto were working with the headmaster and that should have been enough to dissuade her from trusting them at all, which would have been for the best. The more they knew about the illicit activities of the two shinobi, and the grand schemes evolving around them, the less danger they were apt to be in. But something had changed in the past few hours. Paradigms had been shifting far too fast for him, Naruto, or even Ozpin to control, and if their bastion were to fail, team RWBY, JNPR and the rest would need to be ready.

"You know we work for Ozpin. You do not know exactly what we are doing, only that it must remain secret from the world. What reason do you have not to trust us?"

Blake could only stare blankly at him for his inarguable, simple logic. But could she really trust them? If they managed to keep secrets from them, why could they then not keep secrets from Ozpin?

"Why should I trust you? You lied to us."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, curbing his anger. Though Blake was not to know, this was not so much at her.

"We never lied to you. We let them do that for us."

She blinked, and in that split-second dredged up all of their previous conversations, all of the interrogations subjected upon the two foreign students to try and find an instance where this statement did not hold true. She could not locate one. In all, they had been victims of assumption, herself especially guilty of this act. Whether it was the best or the worst, they had readily latched on to those preconceived notions because that was what was normal, that was what was comforting.

Nor had they ever begrudged her, her own lies. They had never sought to pry, though were able through some channels to figure things out readily enough on their own. Not all of the mysteries about the two were now unraveled, but offering the knowledge now that they were part of some bigger conspiracy, was a far grander leap of faith than any of them had yet provided the two of them.

"But why me? Why now?

It was not hard for Sasuke to see her inner turmoil. He knew that he was asking a lot. He also knew that they needed her. They needed them, on their side. He was not afraid of dying, not here, nor back in their own world. Death was inevitable in their line of work. He would gladly give up his life, as he knew his comrade would, if the situation called for it, but only if there were something worth dying for. He did not know whether Ozpin would honor his side of the bargain or not, if he even could once all was said and done. So what then were they fighting for, if not the ticket home?

"Blake."

She looked up from where she was burrowing holes in the concrete floor so that he could see the tumultuous crimson tides.

"You said that good and bad were lies. Fine. I won't say that I am either a good person or a bad person. But right now, I want to do what is right. I want to do what is right by me and those around me."

He reached out to bridge the gap that had formed between them in the passing conversation, cupping her shoulder and fixing the two in a locked stare. The strange difference in height would have been almost comical, had the situation not been so dire. As it was, Blake blushed slightly as she received one of the most earnest and entreating looks she never would have expected to emanate from the reserved young man. She knew not whether it was this rare moment of vulnerability, or her own flustered state which served as catalyst, only that in the moment she could clearly hear his unspoken request.

" _Please, allow me something to fight for."_

Blake chewed her lip, unable to weigh an answer.

* * *

Ruby chewed nervously on her fingernails, a bad habit that she reverted to in times of increased stress and worry. With her increased proficiency with her scythe, she thought she had outgrown the habit, but she had only cured the symptom. The problem was feeling helpless, incapable, as she did now. The compulsive eating of the popcorn had been her first reaction to the odd happenings that were flittering around in the shadows of her vision, and when she had exhausted that, she reverted to old habits which were harder to quit.

"Ruby, are you doing that again? Quit it." Yang admonished her younger sibling when she noticed her falling back to her old juvenile practices.

Ruby quickly apologized, chagrinned, and shoved her hand under her leg, to keep it out of reach, but sadly, not out of mind. When she got nervous, she became restless. She needed to do something with her hands to placate her restive nature, and outside of combat there was little that would remedy this impulse. Her father had once suggested she take up knitting, ha! She had tried, but ended up hung up with the needles, trying to modify them into poison darts, the tangled spider web of yarn falling into the role of gladiator's net. Even her own family was a little off-put by this strange fascination, but Ruby failed to see it as a problem.

She did not know her problem now. Literally, the fact that she did not know was the problem. Strange things were happening recently that spelled something big going on, bigger than their investigation with the White Fang, and that alone was enough to worry her. But to top it off, Naruto and Sasuke seemed to be involved in it as well. They had all tried to keep their sleuthing and midnight escapades on the down low to good effect, but somehow, though they never outright said it, both boys seemed to be aware of it. They had known Blake was a Faunus somehow, although, to give them the benefit of the doubt, it had been rather obvious when she admitted as much. But there was still the fact that they had recognized her Uncle Qrow, despite never having met him. And what was he doing here, anyway? It was only after disappearing into the headmaster's office for several hours that he finally reappeared and spent time with his two nieces.

And now, to top it all off, Sasuke had pulled Blake to the side to discuss something or other, so was their reclusive teammate in on it as well? How large was this conspiracy, and just what was going on were all still well out of her reach, and she did not like being kept in the dark like this, it reminded her too much of when her mother died. So above all, there was worry for her friends, all those she had come to know even if they were keeping things from her.

Yang saw Ruby fidgeting in her seat, hands tucked under her rump struggling to get out and make their way to her mouth. Yang just chuckled unworriedly at her hyper sister.

"Don't worry Ruby, the first match will start soon. We won't have to wait long."

Ruby gave a meek smile in response to her sibling, hoping that she would not catch on to her real misgivings. Although, she would calm down slightly once the match started and gave her mind something to focus on besides the random and outlandish thoughts buzzing around her head right now.

And anyway, here was Blake, recently returned from her little private chat with Sasuke, who was nowhere to be found. She did not look especially troubled, but did have the air of someone who had a weighty problem on their mind. Ruby felt a little bit better having her friend back where she could see her, but now Sasuke had disappeared once again.

"Hey Blake! Had a nice little chat with your boyfriend?" Yang grinned cheekily at the dark woman who rolled her eyes but did not rise to the provocation.

"He just wanted to let us know that Naruto was out of the infirmary, and that he would be the one representing them in the match."

As she took her seat, the others mulled over this statement in their individual heads. It did not make much sense on the surface, as if that was the only thing Sasuke wanted to convey, he could have told them all that. Deciding that something of an entirely different nature had been expressed, Yang smirked to herself, and resolved to pester the cat-Faunus more about it later. Weiss did not seem to be too interested in interrogating Blake either, though when Blake had mentioned Sasuke, Weiss got a strange and stony look on her face.

Ruby was too busy processing this news. Though she was glad her friend was now recovered, she worried about him stressing himself so soon after such an injury. He had frankly seemed fine when they had kept him company in the makeshift hospital, but she still could not help but worry. She had not wanted to leave him all alone in the unwelcoming room for the night, but knew that she had to make sure Yang got back to the room safe and sound. She was assuaged when Weiss offered to keep him company for a few more hours at least, she did not know how long the white-haired girl had stayed.

The gestation period for these newfound elements was cut soon enough, however, as the announcers back in their perch received the same news and the amplifiers crackled to life signaling the beginning of the final round of the Vytal festival. The first round fortunately, or unfortunately, was to be Naruto versus the boy on Emerald's team, Mercury Black. So at the very least she would be able to see her friend again soon. She liked knowing where everyone was, but still could not shake the nagging feeling from her tail.

* * *

General James Ironwood liked knowing where all of his personnel were at all times. It made sense, in a tactical and strategic standpoint, being able to accurately account and deploy your assets at a moment's notice. Thus, he readily agreed to Ozpin's advisement and with a few well-placed calls had his airborne craft running a net all over the city of Vale, and not just its outskirts. He only had a half dozen small craft at his disposal at the moment, and only one cruiser with any measurable firepower, but he could keep watch for anything unusual and hopefully give them a head start.

Despite their small numbers, the air was thick with the fighters weaving all over the swath plowed in the air by the massive floating stadium subject at the moment to the whims of the gentle breeze. Trails of colored smoke hung heavy in the air as well, like musty rainbow clouds crisscrossing the sky like wads of cotton candy thrown into a thresher. He had agreed to the plan under the guise of an airshow. It would be far more believable to their potential enemies than claiming that they were scheduling drills during the height of the festival.

It was obvious, but maybe that would also serve as a deterrent to any potential scheme. He still maintained that it would have been better having his whole fleet at his disposal, but relented when Ozpin revealed the massive breech in his security. That was why he only had trusted soldiers on deployment at the moment, recalling Winter Schnee from her assignment back home to take command of the cruiser as one of his most trusted subordinates. He was counting on her guile to notice any discrepancy, and react to it in a timely and appropriate manner.

He trusted her, far more than he did the two children that Ozpin had been placing all his bets on as of late. True, they were a brilliant windfall that could be used to great effect, but James felt they were too far out of the loop right now to be useful. Ozpin wanted to keep them on the peripheries, for whatever justification. James agreed to this, as he still did not fully trust them, but it also diminished their effectiveness by not making them privy to all of the variables in the situation.

Although, he was not so sure at the moment that he was in the know for all things with his friend. He had, after all, kept those two a secret for a good long while before it became necessary. They might even know more about the situation than he did, though he doubted it. All in all, they were an enigma to him, as much as he hoped they were to them. But for this whole gamble to work, they had to put their faith in the two now, not to fail, and not to waiver in their determination. If they were as much soldiers as they professed to be he would not worry so much. But at the end of the day, they were just children, stuck in a place where nothing was familiar, and subject to fear, persuasion, and doubt as much as any human.

He would not blame them, either, if they failed. This was not their war they were fighting, and they had no reason to lay down their lives in the name of a cause that might as well be an illusion. He himself did not know what they were fighting for anymore. Peace, in theory, had been achieved, yet here they were once again on the brink of war, chaos, annihilation. Back-alley dealings and betrayals were the new norm and people still lost their lives because of it, though now their deaths were without a cause to give them purpose. Was true peace just an illusion? Was it worth it to prop up this limping monstrosity they had kept on life support for far too long?

The answer was not forthcoming, nor did he need it to be. He was a soldier, and keeping humanity from extinction for another day was all the goal he needed.

* * *

What was their goal? What was there objective parading him out there in his combat gear? Ever since the lunchroom incident, Naruto had stopped taking everything for granted. It had been made all too clear to him then, that all actions had consequences and this was to be no less so with the crafty woman who appeared to have everyone either under her thumb or dancing along to the tune she was miming. So clearly they had a reason, and he suspected it had something to do with discrediting him, or more appropriately, Ozpin, who gave them shelter and was ultimately their own puppet master behind their activities.

But Ozpin had made sure that whatever video of their chaotic arrival had been wiped out. Of course there was a possibility that there was some left, but they should not be able to correlate the sketchy images with the faces of the two shinobi. Besides, he had not had his ANBU knock-off gear then. Whatever they were planning, It was clearly related to their more recent activities, which left a distinctly foul taste in his mouth as he recalled the actions, the lives he took in the pretense of doing good. Those had been his first kills, and it had not mattered to him if they were Faunus, they were still lives to him. It possibly made it worse in his mind, for he had killed people he had far more relation with than Ozpin in his lofty tower. He just hoped that they had covered their own tracks well enough. He had left that duty to the admitted brains between the two of them. Sure, he could plan an entry and egress, but not both, and not without some collateral.

But he would not second guess himself. He had trusted the man for a reason, because his gut told him it was the right thing to do at the time, and his gut was seldom wrong. But he had to admit, he had been far too naïve about the whole ordeal. He had trusted much too easily, as was his nature, he could not fault himself for what he considered one of his good qualities. But now, now he knew that he could renew the trust in himself, and the trust in those around him. He had answered the question of what he was fighting for amidst the fear of doubt.

The midmorning light, crisp and light in the night air still lingering in the pool of the arena, warmed his body as he stepped out into the ring. It made his arm itch slightly under the bandages that he still had not removed. It would not do to give away his rapid healing ability so soon in the game, he was not yet sure if their opponents knew about it. Or indeed how much they knew about him at all. Still, he felt a twinge of pain from the back of his forearm, where he swore there was still a shard of his shield imbedded in his flesh. He could feel it shift around irritably when he flexed his regrown muscles, and though it was more annoying than painful he was slightly worried that his body had yet to reject the foreign object.

That was a greater concern on the forefront of his mind, the fact that he would not be able to fully rely on the fox to bail him out of any situation when he found himself in over his head. The demon, as improbable as it seemed, was worried. Worried that he might disappear if exposed to the atmosphere of the world without his container to keep him solid. Worried that if he used his chakra again in this world, that it would dissipate never to return. It might have seemed crazy and irrational to the blond a year ago, but that had been before he had jumped dimensions, or hopped planes, whatever it was that they had done to end up here. Now, he was all too inclined to trust the fox's judgement on this matter.

A year ago, huh? It had almost been an entire year since they had arrived in this world. What would his precious people be doing back home? He hoped they were still alright. He hoped they missed the disappearance of the two of them, but not too much. He did not want them to suffer because of him, though it was more likely they were lamenting the loss of the last loyal Uchiha and the Sharingan. Still, whatever welcome awaited them, he hoped that there was at least still a home to return to, whether or not they made it back someday.

He wondered about that, more seldom now than before. Ozpin had promised them once he found a new Fall Maiden, he could and would send them home. But Naruto did not want that to be at the cost of one of the people he had begun to accept as friends. If Pyrrha decided to do it, he could not stand in her way, but he hoped Ozpin had not revealed their secret to the young woman. If she took the plunge, he wanted it to be because she was protecting herself and her friends as he would, but not because of them.

What would their other peers think of them, after they were gone? He hoped they would understand, and not feel betrayed by their sudden disappearance. Some he had no doubt would take it easier than others. He was unsure if Jaune would be happy or sad, given that he no longer would have sadistic drill instructors pushing him to improve at a grueling pace. The other members of JNPR might very well forget about them in time, but this was most likely not to be the case with those in RWBY. He would miss Yang greatly, her companionship and outgoing personality so similar to his own that he felt he had found a kindred spirit, himself in female form, and he held a small hope that she felt the same. Blake would certainly be hurt by it, even if they explained themselves first. He understood that she had not trusted them at first, and comprehended why, but he wanted to make things right with the woman, though it seemed she had already made her own inroads into that attempt. Hell, he would probably even miss Weiss. Now that she had shown some modicum of human kindness, he could not help but compare her to their long lost third. She was smart, beautiful, and had a marring feature on her face that should have detracted from their beauty, but instead added to it in his estimation. Not that he would ever admit that to the young woman, nor was he about to put another woman ahead of Sakura this regard.

And Ruby….

Of course she would be devastated. That was just the way she was. That was one trait she shared with him more than her sister did. She was too ready to invest herself wholeheartedly in a person, in a lofty idea, and one day it would likely crush her, just as it had very nearly him. He wondered himself if he would be alright when parting ways from the genial girl. He could not deny the attachment he had formed with the lot of them, and especially her. Above all others, she was the one who most made him whole. Ready and willing as she was to look past all his faults, all baggage that he seemed to drag with him wherever he went though he tried his best to hide it. She sure was not Sakura, not in terms of personality or beauty, but that was ok. She was different. She was his friend, dare he say best friend, his dark-haired teammate included. She was a light in his life that he did not know how he had lived without before, incandescent personality illuminating the path ahead.

The roar of the crowds was a drone in his ears to the rhythm of his heartbeat and music of his musings. The sun peaking over the lip of the stadium awning bathing his entire form and he smiled gently, and could not suppress the feeling of Déjà vu standing in the limelight as he was. But he was a different person now. This was no match for personal glory. He could, and needs must put the past behind him for now, of this he had no illusion. He would take glory in the stripes that set him apart and make no more apologies. Could he keep this? He had no idea, but he was going to try with all his might.

He shot a random look out into the crowd, sapphire eyes scanning the rows upon rows of people all uniquely the same. And as fate had it, landed almost immediately on a huddled group in the middle of thousands of others, and muddled though they were with the light in his eyes, he knew who they were and that they were there for his sake more than anything else. He smiled and could feel them return the gesture. It might have been delusion alone guarding him at this point, assuring him of these things in an effort to stave off the inevitable crash, but he did not care. Whatever reality he left behind was overrated, this was the place he wanted to live in now.


	23. To Rise Above

**Ok, here it goes, good and tired, so lets get this lucid thought process going...**

 **Yeah, it's been a while. Sorry. It's called school. Midterms. Heard of them? Probably should be paying more attention to them, but well, yeah no. It's too bad, because there were a lot of messages that I really wanted to answer and people I wanted to thank, hope your still alive out there. Even the haters. Sorry, just have to laugh a little here, seriously? Okay, don't read my story, I really, really don't care. If you have a problem with a plot device, let me know, I appreciate criticism, but don't drop a fic halfway through because of one thing. Anyway, no skin of my nose. This whole endeavor is so that I get better.**

 **In those regards, I really want to thank those that actually went out of their way to do this. I'm looking at you, Fuyuriku.Thanks! I know that I have not edited all the mistakes that you found, but those are coming. Just had to push out this turd before I could stomach looking at my own work again.**

 **Shivasb , Follow the Code, I know. I know. I need to lay off the language a bit. Sorry, but after writing a five page paper on 16th Century Spanish Literature, and adding another block to a first draft of a thesis on the African Congo, I get kind of stuck in that mode. Genius, poetry, does not stem from nice words. They sometimes help, but even one of my biggest inspirations, the band Golgol Bordello, Eugene Hütz, the singer is brilliant. He doesn't even use proper grammar half the time, but is able to craft brilliant phrases using a mastery of not just one language, but I think he's up to four? My problem is that I actually DO know these words, even if I sometimes misuse them. Sue me, I get confused. Practice just makes perfect, but most of the time, I might just be using them for the sound, so just go with that. I just like the way they roll of the tongue. Short. Sweet.  
**

 **Or not.**

 **Honestly, I don't know if even half the people that reviewed are still here, but if you are. Good for you.**

 ** CaptainToast321, Cinder knows they are not from Remnant, but look at it this way. Why would she have any reason to suspect that they might be different from "normal" humans? If all the people you ever saw could be classified into being normal, even if they each had unique abilities bordering on magic, you would not assume that they would be any different. This is not your typical "parallel world". Ok, well, it is but not. I will explain later, but this is the Sci-Fi fan in me coming out. I demand plausible physics! Is that too much to ask? Yes, yes it is. Anyway, she has video of their popping out of nowhere, but not a whole lot else. She has control of the cameras in cannon, but didn't steal anything, as far as we know.**

 **Jeirin,** **I am very glad you like the fic, really I am. It means I am doing something right. I just singled you out because, well, look, you were one of the only ones to actually ask a question. I just found it amusing that you asked the question just before I was actually planning on answering. I love our resident fuzzball as well, he makes Naruto who he is. I hope to have him play a bigger role coming. Sorry if my blithe comes off as biting. This is why I don't text. People get hurt.**

 **To all others who think I ought to do something differently, I relish your opinion. I would like to discuss it. That doesn't mean just calling me stupid, conceited, haughty, condescending, or my personal favorite: wrong. This is fiction. There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral fiction. Fiction _is well written, or badly written_. That is all.**

 **Prost!**

* * *

The minute the sun crested the stadium's awning, the temperature shifted and a light breeze kicked up, ruffling the fringe just beginning to go ragged on Naruto's scarf. It tickled his nose, and his eyes squinted in mild irritation, but more at the sight of his opponent than anything else. He had not dealt with the male member of the intruding team as much as he had the green-haired female, or their leader. The other two remained a mystery for the most part, and in the case of their fourth member, almost entirely. Illusive to the extreme, he had encountered Neo in her guise only a handful of times, but remembered well enough their encounter face-to-face to be wary of the silent swordswoman.

Not to say that he should not be incautious of the adversary in front of him, for he was almost certain that the smirk plastered on his face had a more solid base layer than hubris. It was not hard to see the way he shifted back and forth on his legs, that there was something more than flesh beneath his trousers. His mind went to the taijutsu specialist of his youth, and the massive weights he fancied wearing on a daily basis. If this current challenge was anything the like, he knew it would be a hard match indeed.

But this was the curious part, in his mind grasping at wisps of smoke. What course of action at this juncture would best serve his purpose? The immature youth standing in front of the roaring crowd would have thrown his all into the fight without second thought, but this person here now was much more aware of the potential consequences of victory and defeat. It was clear at least that the two options each had their own merits in this crossing.

By wearing the ANBU uniform, even sans the iconic mask, he knew that Cinder intended him to send a message. Wary as he was of her machinations, he was not sure what that message was intended to be. Any footage of their nightly raids had been carefully excised by Goodwitch and Ozpin, and even if they had captured their own evidence, there was no way to distribute it en masse. Naruto had alerted the headmaster of the potential breech in security to the CCT the night after his first introduction to the female mastermind.

So what other reason existed for his costume, if not to implicate him in Vale? Was it just to unnerve him, cause him to fail? If so, it was already having some effect, and so Naruto quickly hopped onto the highroad and breathed deeply to center his thoughts to the path ahead. He would know soon enough based on Mercury's tenacity and attitude in the fight, just what was in store.

Amidst the roaring din of the crowds, he could faintly pick out the familiar pitch of his female friends on team RWBY. He could not deny that he was searching for them, and was heartened at their support, even if they could not fathom the full extent of the challenge he now faced. He was fighting for them, wholly now, as he knew they would all do they same for him, without hesitation.

So he hoped.

"What's that smile on your face for, brat? Don't you know what kind of world of hurt you are about to be in?" Mercury taunted from across the field at the sight of Naruto's waxing smile.

This of course, only succeeded in expanding the gesture, baring teeth and gaining a deadly slant on the whisker adorned cheeks.

"Well, I figure that you were going to be a pain in my ass, but I just hope you don't go talking my ear off when I beat you. From what Emerald says, you can be even more annoying than me."

The other young man demonstrated that he did not have as thick of skin as the young shinobi, or that he was displeased with the mention of his teammate in the gibe, for he frowned forebodingly. Naruto had not even exaggerated the claim, as even amongst the terse words the two had shared, Emerald had indeed complained about her obnoxious teammate.

"Laugh it up while you can, punk." Mercury spat to himself, unwilling to rise to any taunt delivered by the boy. He knew he was on a short fuse already, displeased with being the sacrificial lamb in this scenario. He was willing to take one for the team, but he could little stand to be humiliated by such an immature fighter. His pride, however, would not be the only thing damaged in today's fight, however.

So with rising bile fueling his devotion to the fight, Mercury charged forward in a valiant effort to catch the younger man off guard the second the clock ran down to zero and the fight was initiated. Although his speed was admirable, Naruto had had experience dealing with fast enemies before, and his speed was no where near Lee's. He dodged the first pick thrown by the young man with ample room to spare, as well as the follow up axe kick which crushed into the earth where he had stood not a moment before. So Mercury was both fast and strong, at least with his legs, if the small impact crater and shower of flying clasts were anything to go by.

"Hold still!"

Mercury shot another succession of kicks at his blond adversary, who handily dodged and weaved out of their range, but never far enough away that he would be outside his ability to counter. And if Mercury's style was anything to go by, Naruto surmised that he might have a weapon similar to Yang's and thus he could not afford to give the man room enough to take a shot at him.

Mercury meanwhile was getting frustrated by his inability to hit the blond kangaroo rat as he bent in and out of his attacks. If fact, he had yet to retaliate in any shape or form, the sword he carried still swaddled in its crude scabbard slung diagonally across his back. At the very least, though, it seemed he would not have to force his defeat as much as he had anticipated.

When Naruto landed knees bent in a crouch facing him, Mercury lashed out with kick aimed at the boy's protruding chin. As expected, Naruto leaned back to dodge, but this was Mercury's intention as he shot a round off from his weapon to launch himself back, thus gaining range that he hoped to use to his advantage. Now Naruto was bodily exposed to the dust rounds that Mercury began lobbing at him from mid-range.

Though already baited into the maneuver, Naruto was able to dodge the first few dust projectiles, but the third came too close for comfort. He formed a seal with one hand and a singe clone substituted in for him and took the hit, shrouding his retreat with a cloud of smoke.

Mercury cursed his lack of line of sight as his eyes scanned back and forth looking for his target, who reemerged not a beat later from the right of the cloud, and proved that the boy had no intention of retreating by making a speedy effort to bridge the gap between them. He was trying to get back within Mercury's guard, where at least he could compete hand to hand. Mercury would not allow him to take away his advantage so easily, though.

A succession of kicks fired off burst of dust rounds at the zig-zagging young man. He proved that he was no slouch, and that he did not need to rely on projectile weapons with his slippery aggressiveness. Still though, the last round to fly by him was set to detonate in the air, and Naruto's eyes widened as the round exploded in his face.

As soon as Mercury's smirk rose, it slipped on ice and fell as a flock of shuriken materialized on the left of the blast zone. He cursed as he dodged, irritated at being duped by another clone. He could see the original now that the smoke had cleared, the one who through the handful of bladed weapons his way, running strait at him through the dissipating haze. Mercury took this easy target all too willingly as he kicked off from his firing line and with a burst of speed courtesy of a shot from his other leg, planted a crippling side-kick into the oncoming boy's started face.

Which quickly dissipated into another burst of smoke as Mercury found himself in the air and unable to maneuver. A flying knee came up from directly underneath him to impact right on his jaw. As he flew back, head ringing, he could not comfort himself with the knowledge that the strike very easily could have been a crippling blow if directed to another part of his anatomy. Even with his Aura shielding his body from physical blows, the knee to his otherwise pristine face hurt like hell.

But Naruto was not done with this. Before the stunned Mercury could fly too far away from him, he somersaulted in the air and came down on the boy with a kick of his own sending him ricocheting off of the ground. He tumbled a ways, but righted himself admirably, already reinstated into the fight that was quickly becoming obvious he would have to take more seriously. He grit his teeth as he pushed his attack, not wanting to give the boy time to gloat at his victory.

He came at Naruto with renewed vigor, and admittedly even faster than before, quickly outstripping Lee with his weights on. Naruto was forced to block one kick aimed at the side of his head, and winced and almost cried out in pain, as the metal guards adorning his enemy's legs threatened to shatter his arm. In addition, it was his left arm which took the blow, and now he could clearly feel that there was indeed a shard of his shield embedded into his arm, as it was now being further driven into his bone.

He was sent back into a roll, coming up only to grasp his arm in pain as his dressings once again gained a set of red splotches welling up from underneath. He had to let go of his pained appendage as Mercury would not give him a moment's pause. In a blink of an eye, the oncoming kick was deflected by the shimmering blued steel of Naruto's blade clasped firmly in his right hand. He was no longer worried about seriously hurting the other young man, and was more concerned with keeping his own head on his shoulders.

Mercury would have patted himself on the back at finally getting the boy to draw his sword, for it was embarrassing to think that the young fighter was not having to give his all when combating the older and theoretically more experienced son of an assassin, but with the added reach provided by Naruto's sword thrown into he mix, and the deadly blade whizzing worryingly close to his person, he could not congratulate himself just yet.

But he was not to be outdone so easily, and proved himself a capable fighter as he blocked the blade's path with gracious flurry of leg movements. Not content with being on the defensive, Mercury decided to mix things up a bit to throw the other boy off balance. He blocked the next slash to his midsection with his arm-bracer, and circled his arm around the blade to brush it aside and grab Naruto's wrist, pulling him in for a grapple. Though he expected some form of resistance, he was surprised when his young adversary was all too eager to engage in close range combat.

Mercury blocked an elbow to his head with his other arm, as well as a follow up kick which he tried to pin between his elbow and knee. But he forgot just how small his opponent was as Naruto spun inside of Mercury's guard, bringing his leg close into his chest like a ballerina, and latched onto the arm that was fixing his sword in place. Mercury felt a distinct lurch in his stomach as he was shunted over the low center of gravity and thrown a considerable distance away in a perfectly executed Judo throw.

He flipped mid-air, though and landed firmly on his prosthetic legs. His scowl twisted into a malicious grin as he felt the thrill of battle overtake him. The nagging voice of reason reminding him of his mission was being drowned out by his howling bloodlust. Things were getting interesting.

* * *

It was not that she did not find this fight interesting….. ok, well maybe she was getting a little bored with it. It was after all, just another fight among many others. Only, it wasn't. Not with everything that was supposed to be going on behind the scenes. She wasn't bored per se, but she desperately wanted it to be over and done with, however as she continued to watch on metaphorically biting her nails, she got the distinct feeling that her partner down below did not share in that opinion. In fact, it looked like he was enjoying himself, perhaps too much, and that was what was worrying her.

Emerald knew her task, and she knew Mercury knew his as well. But she worried about the glint in his eye that she could interpret even from here, that spoke of his being enamored with the fight. To the extent that he might forget to take a fall in the name of their mission, she was hesitant to surmise. Perhaps, though, she was only superimposing herself and her own hesitations, as much as she would admit having them, on her teammate as it appeared everyone in their little cabal was behaving abnormally.

Not that she would fail to use her semblance when the time came. She owed too much to Cinder for her to even entertain otherwise, and knew besides what fate awaited her should she fail. She could only trust that Mercury would do as much when the time came. But the added variable of the blond who had suddenly seemed to find some backbone was a consideration that she could not rectify. What was he going to do? Would it even matter? If it was up to her, she would make sure it wouldn't. In any case there was no way for him to know what they had in store, and even less of a way for him to stop it.

Not that that would keep the blond from trying, she was new person who had been born in the infirmary between yesterday and today had a newfound resilience that dare she say she could admire. She resented the company of the defeatist boy that she had been assigned to watch over. So in a way, she almost regretted having to break him again. But then again, if he could succumb that easily, maybe it was better if he never rose at all.

* * *

"Woooooohoooooo! Go Naruto!"

Ruby rose out of her seat to yell at the top of her lungs to the detriment of those around her.

"Ow! Watch it Ruby! You just yelled right in my ears!"

Yang checked her sister on the shoulder, tipping the girl as she precariously balanced on the back of her folding chair. Her arms shot to her sides, going from cone to windmill as she tired fruitlessly to right herself.

"Whooooah!"

She toppled head over heels into the row just in front housing the onlookers of team JNPR.

"Ow!"

"Ahhhhh!"

"Hello again, Ruby!"

"Yay! Pyramid!"

The exuberant ginger took the befuddled girl that had landed in her lap and with an innocuously strong toss, hefted her onto her shoulders before standing up herself, Ruby once again tossing her arms out to the side as she struggled to maintain balance. Practically jumping out of her seat already, Nora took a step onto her armrest and made to follow it up onto the person next to her.

"Hey Ren! Pyramid!"

"Nora, that's not a pryarmidandIdon'tthinkthat'ssuchagoodidea!" Too late he voiced his opinion as the ill-advised maneuver was carried out, and complete with Ruby wiggling like a wacky-waving-inflatible-arm-flailing-tube-man trying her best not to tumble down despite Nora's vice-like grip on her ankles.

"Alright! Who's next!?"

"Ow! Nora, you should sit down now."

"Knock it off you guys! I can't see!"

"Nora! Careful! You guys could get really hurt!"

"Help!"  
As the comical train-wreck teetered in and out of catastrophe, it successfully distracted the redhead Amazonian from her previous concerns, as well as the rest of her team's concern for her. If was almost impossible not to get dragged into the quagmire which would have spread throughout the section, had the majority not been abandoned previously so as to give the over-enthusiastic teenagers a wide berth. Undaunted by the mess that was inevitable were the majority of the former competitors, sidelined by the elimination and hearty enough to survive the odd students of Beacon. Not to ignore them, that is.

Two were doing and admirable job of it, though. A verdant-haired girl never let her crimson stare deviate from the procession of the match down below as she watched with an intensity of a musician awaiting their queue. And the golden pair which focused on her, never letting the green-haired woman out of their amber entrapment.

* * *

"I have to admit, you aren't half bad for a pipsqueak. You almost trapped me that time." Mercury prodded the blond as they both paused to reassess. Naruto did nothing to respond to this barb, however, so Mercury decide he needed to up his taunting, as well as his fighting. He needed to be the one with the level head, after all.

"Too bad you aren't good enough to protect your friends."

This directed attack succeeded in affecting the unwavering young man, who scowled at the not too subtly veiled threat, but do not seem to loose his temper like Emerald had advised him he would. This was slightly disappointing, but Mercury figured that he just needed some physical evidence to emphasize this to the blond.

He was suddenly gone from sight in a burst of speed, to the shock of the onlookers, as well as to Naruto. But combat instincts overrode shock, and he was able to whirl around and block a kick that would have knocked him far away, and in all likelihood out cold. He sent the limb up and over his head as he lunged at the older teen who once again disappeared in a burst of speed. His eyes narrowed as he came to terms with this new intensity of the fight.

He spun around again just in time, but sadly not in the right place as Mercury landed a kick to Naruto's knee. He hissed and dropped to the ground as he heard more than felt some of the bones in his leg begin to crack under the strain. His mobility was hampered, but that was the least of his worries as another kick came around in a graceful spin in another move that seemed immediately familiar.

Naruto dropped to the ground flat to avoid that kick, and had to roll out of the way as a foot was planted where his body was, sending fractures and faults skittering radially outwards. He rolled to his feet, and despite the obvious amount of pain he was in, smirked. The move was all but identical to the Konoha Senpu, the Leaf Whirlwind, and not nearly as well executed as the one by his friend. Still, his leg reminded him, it did not need to be. But this, this he could work with.

Though this fighter was focussed more on kicks, the style and execution was too similar to the one used by Rock Lee and Guy to be ignored. He just needed to remember how Sasuke had dealt with the self-proclaimed "Green Beast". His face and confidence suffered a hit, though, when he realized that Sasuke had gotten his ass handed to him in their fight. Still though, both of them were a lot stronger than they were then, and this imitation could never be as scary as the real Lee when he opened the Gates. He would just see how Mercury faired against a taste of his own medicine.

"What's the matter? Afraid I'm right? Afraid that you won't even be able to scratch me?"

Mercury taunted as Naruto shifted into a more defensive stance, flipping his blade into a reverse-grip. He watched on as the boy in his more defensive posture raised a hand with a single digit.

"That cheeky little bastard."

Naruto smirked as he raised his index finger to accompany his middle one, and there was a much larger cloud of smoke that dissipated with the charge of a hoard of Naruto, some flying through the air like arrows while others shot close to the ground like so many mice skittering through a field of grass.

All humor on Mercury's part was lost as he was forced to use his speed to remain upright, dodging and blocking the deadly slashes and stabs that were lobbed his way from every direction at once.

Another spinning kick knocked two Naruto out of the air, a side kick on his hands knocked on Naruto into another, he latched onto the extended arm of one who was trying to take advantage of his handstand and hurled him into another two oncoming. But these two were every bit as fast as the original, and they leapt over their comrade. As Mercury righted himself and blocked the hissing slash with his metal leg, the other Naruto went far lower and threw himself into Mercury's leg. As he dispatched the other clone, he looked down with a smirk as he stomped on the grappling Naruto's back with a self-assured finality as the clone gave a cry at having his spine all but smashed to pieces.

"Fool." The clone's efforts to knock Mercury off ballance were futile as the gyroscopes in his legs kept him all but rooted against the ground when he wanted to be, and made his kicks almost impossible to divert. Using them now, he spun around to face another set of clones that had tried to take advantage of the others' distraction. Only, he spun, but his foot stayed firmly in place.

"What!?"

He looked down to see that his foot was pinned under a mesh of steel wire anchored by a half-dozen kunai, buried up to their hilt in the arena floor. He looked up from his predicament just in time to see the full depth of his descent.

"U!" The first strike was directed to his supporting leg, so that his face puckered up feeling like he was being ripped in half, doing the splits. His mechanical legs only went up to mid-thigh, and though he was flexible, he was no contortionist. One foot bent backward and the other more than shoulder-width apart was not something the average body was meant to do.

"ZU!" The next was an upward slash from hip to shoulder, absorbed by his Aura, but not to the extent that he could not feel a deep welt forming under the barrier, and not enough to keep him from starting to lift off the ground, his encased boot holding him back ever so tenuously.

"MA!" The same Naruto spun around with a kick of his own, connecting with Mercury's jaw and tearing at both the metal leg's connection to his flesh, and the wire still fastening the leg to the ground. He suppose he should be grateful that they would not have to install any metal teeth, but he wasn't.

"KI!" The stab dug deep into his stomach, and he wondered whether or not the boy was actually trying to kill him.

"Naruto Rendan!" He lost count of how many sharp and pointy objects tried to burrow their way into his body, but he felt like a giant pincushion as the wire finally gave way and he was cast back from the literally multi-pronged attack. His Aura took a beating, that was for sure, and he tried to lift his head to see if any of the blades had penetrated, but couldn't. He lay there on is back on the ground, caught between the cool relief behind, and the burning feeling covering his front.

'This is bullshit.'

He lay there thinking to himself with all the time in the world as the clock clicked down.

'I was actually trying. How could I lose?'

His opponent approached him warily after glancing at the projections indicating their Aura levels. It did't matter anyway, even if he was in the red, even if he was dead, he had to at least carry out his mission.

'It's not over. I can't lose to this little moron.'

His anger accompanied his leg as it shot out to intercept the shinobi who was cautiously approaching him. Naruto slashed aside the boot before it made contact, and dodged the shot which came from the other one. With unknown reserves, Mercury ripped back onto his feet and suddenly shot up in the air with a double barrel burst from his boots, sending dust and shards of tile into the air and obscuring Naruto's vision as he covered his delicate eyes from the debris.

"You little bastard!"

Mercury lost himself, falling through the air, he unleashed kick after kick, round after round at the blond at his feet, loosing sight of him in the blaze of fire and dust, explosions pock-marking the arena floor which began to look like the surface of the sun from his vantage high in the sky, the recoil form his boots keeping him aloft. He expended everything he had in the feed. Regular rounds interspersed with fire dust rounds, with the odd Gust and Gravity dust birthing swirling nexuses and arcing flares in the firestorm below.

At last, he was empty. He had somehow managed to gain a good deal of height in his fusillade, he recognized now falling as he was back to the stadium floor, the sulfur wind smoothing his frazzled and singed hair. He looked down to the obliterated battlefield fast approaching, and felt the satisfaction of a man who had give it his all. He saw his landing site, a deep red of burning oxygen like the eye of Jupiter, and smiled knowing that nothing could have escape the inferno he created. The eye was like a hurricane, angrily swirling and consuming all under its gaze.

But something was wrong, and as he fell, he noticed the eye of the storm swirl faster, and faster, and suddenly it began to clear, and he could see at the very bottom of the Armageddon he created, the heat-distorted image a person with their arm raised to the heavens and the firestorm bending to their will. The bandaged arm pierced through the gale like it was reaching out from the vindictive sea to prevent itself from drowning. His eyes widened in disbelief.

Mercury prepared himself as best he could for the possibility that the stubborn blond was still upright. He scrambled to get his spare ammunition loaded into his boots, but by now his hands were numb and fe fumbled, the rushing wind carrying away his cartridges. He cursed, but steeled himself none the less. He had the high ground after all.

But as he was transfixed on the epicenter of the maelstrom of fire, he blinked and the figure was gone, a bubble of air ballooning outward and dousing the dying flames. He could only stare awestruck at the location of where the blond once was, unable to fathom what had just happened.

"Here!"

He did not have to wonder long, but before he could turn to face the voice, a shattering kick landed on his exposed collarbone, and his reunion with the ground was accelerated. He bounced off of the charcoaled earth and then crumpled in a heap, lying still.

He knew pain. He had known it many times before, and this was certainly it. It was almost as bad as the night Cinder had found him with his legs torn to shreds. Only now, it was spread over his entire upper body. This time, he was grateful that his legs did not have nerve endings, and so they were numb to this torture. He did not recognize when Naruto landed next to him, nor did he comprehend the shadow that fell over his battered form. The words that were hurled around him meant nothing, nothing to a man who had gone blind, deaf, mute, and so desperately wanted to go numb.

Naruto looked down sorrowfully at Mercury. He had not intended to push it this far, but the young man was tenacious. It honestly seemed like he was trying to kill him, and Naruto was not about to let that happen. He was not positive that Mercury had really meant anything by his talk during the match, but knew he could not afford to lose, and risk finding out.

He looked from the one body to his own, eyes fixated on his bandaged arm, and the slowly circulating currents that encased it. It was incredibly lucky, he knew, but that seemed to be his specialty. He had never attempted to use his perceived wind nature without the buckler, but out of desperation had sought something to protect him from the rain of fire. He had envisioned his shield, and spread it out over his entire body. His mind must have latched onto the Rasengan training, and that conducted the wind around him like a tornado. He would have to test out the limitations of this technique later, he was only lucky that Mercury was so desperate in his shots that most of them went astray from their target.

And then he was able to do his little vacuum technique that he had discovered while sparring with Sasuke. Again, something that he never thought he would be able to do without his shield. But he did have it, actually. That little shard both conducted and focused his chakra, gave it something to imitate converting it to wind nature. It burned, boy did it burn when he did it. It felt like it was going to rend itself from his flesh and take a good chunk of bone with it, but it was a start. He would have to get it removed sometime, but maybe by then he would be able to master the techniques without its aid.

Looking up from his self-absorption, he became aware at last of the roar of the crowd, and for the first time in a long while, let himself relax and bask in the praise and glory. It was selfish, and probably undeserved, but he had missed out on that chance the last time around, and it was still such a novel feeling to him, to be devoid of all the prejudice that plagued him back home. But a strange thought hit him then, and it was ghostly hand that latched onto his heart, chilling him even as he basked in the warmth of praise. Konoha was still home, but…. so was this.

What was he to do with this realization? He hard already vowed to protect the inhabitants of this world, regardless of his final destination. But had he truly accepted the fact that he would never return? Home is where the heart is, but his heart was now split, torn between two trails that were overgrown and hidden in the forest ahead.

But the world sometimes has a way of choosing the path we take for us, and he was sure that what was to come would surely change the direction of his journey.

Unbeknownst to him, this was more imminent than he might have hoped. The body twitched at the back of his feet, grasping onto consciousness through sheer force of will, and unbridled fear at having to face his mistress in failure. It raised itself on shaking arms and wedged a knee underneath it. Cold violet eyes boring holes into the back of the young man's head.

Naruto smiled unabashedly as he waved to the crowd, singling out the very obvious section that housed teams RWBY and JNPR. He saw them ecstatically waving back and his heart swelled with joy, but shiver went up his spine as he felt once again the weight of a gaze upon him. He spun around just in time to dodge the kick aimed to his unguarded head that was sure to have fractured his skull had it connected.

"Mercury! What the hell are you doing?"

Naruto was incredulous as to the objective of the young man. Even if he was ordered to try and kill him, he wouldn't do it so obviously, right? And besides, the man looked half-dead already, even if his Aura wasn't completely devoid in this status bar hovering over their heads, he would be hesitant to lash out at the young man who was on death's doorstep.

"Seriously, knock it off! You lost!"

But the words didn't reach him. This was what he had to do, even if it cost him his life now. He forced one final, leaping kick at the incredulous blond. It was fast, but compared to the ones delivered in the battle previous, it was slow and lumbering. Even still, Naruto was not prepared for this last ditch attack as he might have been. He had little recourse now to dodge the attack, and the sword in his grip was all too eager. His arm lashed out through no fault of his own, and it connected at the knee of the leg flying at his face.

There was a sickening pause as he felt the blade tear its way through, and he saw the older boy sail past him and crumble into the ground, his leg bouncing like a cardboard tube to land a distance away. Naruto felt his blood run cold and the bile in his stomach rise to his throat before he replayed the sensation felt by his hand interpreting the blade, and looked to the twice defeated young man, devoid of any blood, before he began to register what had just transpired.

It was not flesh that his blade had so callously torn through, nor was it life's essence that was pooling around the teen's prone form. It was oil, and through the sheared pant leg, Naruto could see metallic joints and struts poking out, wires dangling with clipped ends.

"What the hell?"

But while his mind said one thing, his body had other ideas, and he began to move towards the fallen Mercury. The downed opponent watched him with glazed eyes, and Naruto was almost happy he did not seem to be fully there. Each step he took towards him he tried to divert but could not, there was the anger there that he could not fully divest himself of, but another strong emotion that he had yet to feel in this intensity welled up inside of him, and it was not his own.

Fear.

Like a beast backed into a corner, he could feel the Kyuubi snapping out, teeth bared and gnashing at anything and everything it could, every wisp and creek in the night, and now that he finally had a visible target, he was going to sink his teeth into him and not let go. Naruto found himself oddly towering over the loser, his blade raised in anticipation and both teens trembling in different shades of fear.

"It-it wasn't suppose to happen like this." Mercury squeezed out, barely audible over Naruto's thumping heartbeat and the howls of the Fox in his mind telling him to cull the whelp and eliminate the threat.

"No, it wasn't."

The blade descended, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"And it won't."

Mercury lay on his back and gazed upwards at the blond as if he were Saint Michael descended form heaven. And in his own way, Naruto had stayed his own dragon. The blade sunk its tip into the ground, the sharpened back merely grazing the awestruck face that finally exceeded all limits and closed its eyes in unconsciousness, finally able to shut down after finding out it would live to see another day.

Reality came back to Naruto as he drew his sword from the earth and raised his head up to face the crowds whose roaring din had turned into confused murmur. He sheathed the blade in the home-made sheath strapped to his back, very carefully to insure that the tip did not pierce through the soft leather carefully and tightly stitched together hours before. He ignored the panicked cries from the world around him, the thundering boots of security in blue and white uniforms that enclosed around him and the fallen Mercury, and looked up to the blue sky above, the sun already at its zenith.

Things never go the way they are supposed to. They just go the way the will.

* * *

What had transpired was certainly not what she expected, but she could deal with the way it had unfolded. She was doing so now as she ushered the despondent boy by the shoulder quickly off the arena floor. She needed to get the both of them to an area devoid of the prying eyes that were no doubt seeking a culprit for their confusion and an explanation which would not be forthcoming. Glynda did not want to leave the poor boy to the dogs, and she certainly did not want to try and explain what had occurred in the weaning few seconds of the match, because she honestly had no idea herself.

It was obvious Mercury was defeated, his Aura as interpreted by the tournament system well enough depleted to constitute a victory on behalf of the blond boy. But he had attacked when Naruto's back was turned. Hadn't he? That was what she had seen at first, and what she had come to recognize as the most logical procession of events, but another image still flashed in her mind, interjected into the stream of events. It did not fit with what happened, however, beyond Naruto ending up over the other boy down ¼ of his limbs with his sword raised. The image that burned at the back of her retinas painted a very different person than the young man she had come to know, and as such she chose the more logical series of events.

There was no way that this fragile young man she had tucked under her arm could have maliciously attacked Mercury as he helplessly struggled on the ground, like that incessant image propounded. Though he had, she realized, but he had not followed through on the finishing blow. It was provoked, Mercury being the first to attack. And in the end, he could not follow through. Whatever phantom reflex in his arm that had severed the leg coming at him he had eschewed at the last minute keeping his hands clean.

This time, at least.

She was grateful once again for the young man's restraint. She had underestimated him time and again, not thinking him mature enough to be able to take a life, let alone know when to spare it. Though as she glanced down at him, head bowed and looking down at the rapidly receding floor, she wondered what kind of internal anguish he was experiencing at the moment. He had not said a single world to her as she spirited him off the stage and into the tunnels, and even now did not even seem to know he was being lead, more like carried, away from the consequences of his actions.

Which she was fairly certain she could mend, if only she made sure that no-

"Naruto!"

While normally she found the camaraderie between the rest of the first-year students endearing, now it was less than convenient. She might have to pull some rank, be a bit brusque, but she did not want them prying into a matter that was very rapidly evolving out of their control.

But she could not stop the gaggle of students as they rushed down the opposite end of the hallway, blocking her way to the docks. The concern for their friend as well as the abject confusion unavoidably etched on each of their faces, with the leader of team RWBY in the fore both in position and with the amount of worry her expression conveyed.

"Ms. Goodwitch." Ruby greeted the other blonde supporting her friend who did no more to acknowledge the arrival of his friends than he had the teacher. Her voice did not waver, but was most earnest in its plea. She came to petering halt almost as soon as Goodwitch did, her tail made from teams JNPR and RWBY stopped shortly after and jostled each other for an empty spot in the much too narrow space.

"Ms. Rose." Glynda politely returned the greeting to the student. "Please return to your seats, the only ones down here should be the competitors." She inclined her head to the tall redhead, who seemed about as far away as Naruto did, vacantly staring at the both of them. She and her partner just looked like they had been swept up in the hoard. Glynda did not wish to be so curt with them, especially considering the position that Ms. Nikos was recently presented, but other matters were far more prudent.

"But- "

"We want to know what the hell is going on!"

The young girl made to protest within rank, but was preempted by her sister whose outburst made the whole group jump, and she looked a little sheepish as she had not realized just how much the narrow corridor would amplify her already boisterous voice. She toed a spider web crack in the floor with her foot and looked aside.

"Please." She amended.

Ruby turned back to the startled professor.

"Please, Ms. Goodwitch, we just came to make sure Naruto is alright."

Though Glynda had no doubt that this question really was on the forefront of the girl's mind, furtive and troubled looks from the crowd behind her told the experienced huntress that there was far more churning in the minds of her compatriots than simple concern for their comrade. She could not blame them. Had she not known the boy se well, though how well she wondered herself, she would have been equally surprised by his lack of hesitation in taking such mortal action.

"As you can see," Glynda tightened her grip on the boy, making him reflexively stand up straighter. "Mr. Uzumaki has not sustained any further injury." She said, glancing down to the mostly unsullied bandages on his arm to make sure this was still true. "I do believe the only thing he needs right now is rest. So, if you'll excuse me, I really must be going. I have other duties I must attend to." She made to circumvent the girl who was grasping at any verbal tactic to delay her flight. She did not get far, however, before she was once again stopped by the younger blonde woman. Glynda narrowed her gaze at the hostile gesture, but Yang took an immediate step back to distance herself and placate her professor, illustrating that confrontation was not her intention.

"Please, Ms. Goodwitch, we just want to know what is going on." Yang coaxed in her most docile voice. "I mean, can't you understand? We just saw one of our friends cut off a guy's leg. I mean, granted it wasn't his real leg, but still-" She moved her hands to her wild blonde locks, fingers massaging her scalp as her eyes screwed shut. "between that, and these weird images I keep seeing- I just-I just- What is going on? I feel like someone is flipping channels in my brain!"

"Yeah! I was watching cartoons!"

Ignoring the bubbly interjection from Nora, Glynda's eyes widened in recognition at the blonde's confession. Her description was apt enough. It was like she had been concert, and then someone had switched the channel to a riot, and then back, so that it looked like the crowds were jeering instead of cheering the musicians. She quickly steeled herself again, filing this bit of info away carefully, but not wanting to worry the students by the fact that she had far fewer answers than she cared to admit. She hid the look with a swift adjustment of her glasses.

When she looked up, she found the others too had fixated their attention on her pending answer. She looked Yang right in her steely violet stare before answering in a completely level voice.

"You say you are seeing things? I would be concerned Ms. Xiao Long. That could be a sign that you have been under an increased amount of stress, lack of sleep could certainly play havoc with developing minds." She met Yang's twitching eye, making the young woman feel smaller despite having to actually angle her gaze down at the woman. "Might I suggest trying to get an early night for once?" She directed this pointed question to all the members of team RWBY, putting them on the defensive, but still not extinguishing the boxer's burning desire for answers. She was about to call bullshit when a delicately manicured hand placed itself over her mouth, and redirected her wilting gaze at the owner.

"Thank you Ms. Goodwitch. We will certainly take your advice." Weiss intervened before her partner's sister could further exacerbate the situation. "I cannot speak for the others, but I know I could certainly use a good night's sleep. I was up quite late last night, keeping Naruto company while he was alone in the infirmary. I just wanted to make sure that all my hard work did not go to waste."

Ruby and Yang were both mildly shocked at Weiss's initiative, as well as her astute play of words. She was after all, the daughter of a prominent CEO and thus a seasoned veteran of double-talk. They all looked to the boy in question, whose eyes while open, still had not focused their murky blue on anyone of them. Weiss frowned in response, to his lack of one, and furrowed her brow. Though they all were anxious to voice Yang's question, they really were concerned for their friend no matter what had really happened, and they wanted answers.

"Ms. Goodwitch." A new voice interjected, and the tall boy with a pink streak shooting through his hair stepped to the front. "I do not think it is unreasonable for us to be concerned about our comrade. Also, you cannot attribute Yang's episode to fatigue. I do believe we all experienced something similar, and the chance that we all had similar reactions to lack of sleep, which I assure you, I have slept quite well, is a very remote possibility."

The young women all looked appreciatively to the green clad member of JNPR and thanked his ability to form a rational argument.

Glynda was less thankful.

She sighed, relenting. She did not want to dig herself any deeper, she was much too tired and stressed herself to think of a coherent lie, but she did not want to scare them with the truth. And though it seemed Naruto and Sasuke's role in their schemes was quickly coming to a close, she did not want to jeopardize their position by spreading the knowledge among their classmates.

"I assure you, there is nothing to worry about." She looked at all of their disbelieving and anxious faces and once again empathized with the students. Whoever said that ignorance was bliss was a psychopath. "Please, I promise you that we are going to look into it, but right now," She once again began ushering Naruto ahead of her and through the gathered crowd who slowly parted to admit the two of them through, albeit reluctantly. "I need to get Mr. Uzumaki here somewhere where he can rest. I am sure you would agree."

"Let us take care of him!" Ruby shot in front, blocking the two blondes' escape, though Naruto was still just along for the ride.

Glynda bit her lip, unable to deny the young girl this request. Though she wanted desperately to figure out for herself just what the score was, and Naruto was in all likelihood key to this, the boy did not look ready to say anything anytime soon, let alone reveal just what had transpired to affect the lot of them in this manner. At the very least, it would relieve her to her other duties, and now she knew that the sensation she had experienced was widespread. She now needed to figure out just how much. Was it only effecting people with Aura? Did everyone see the same thing? What, or who caused it? She suspected the answers lay with the comatose young man under her arm, but at the moment could not extract them.

So with great hesitance she left the boy in the care of team RWBY, who folded the boy into their number, all with equal looks of concern, whether regarding his unresponsiveness or their continued ignorance to what was clearly going on behind the scenes she could not fathom. Like a midnight tide they quietly receded back down the dim hall, the short blond head disappearing behind the swish of a red cape, three members of team JNPR quietly following in their wake.

The last however, stood in the hall across from Glynda, her silent gaze watching their strange procession as it backtracked out of the hall. The assistant headmistress regarded the Amazonian with a quizzical glance of her own, curious as to the sudden alertness that colored her features where she had previously looked as aloof as the boy she had given up possession of.

What was going through her mind?

For a long while, nothing. Pyrrha had shut herself down, gone into an almost trance after Ozpin's revelation of the grand scheme that was busy unfolding itself under all of their noses. And now her ultimatum, defining her own role in this cabal of mythical incarnations and shadow worlds. She didn't want to think about it, so unsure of herself. For the first time, so unsure of what to do.

She was the Invincible Woman. The title should have given her so many opportunities, but all it seemed to do was to shackle her to responsibilities. She had felt the weight of her chains for quite some time, and had been tempted to lament her lot in life. It really was not fair, when she tried to do her best, to do what was right, and it seemed that hardship only begat more hardship. She would not pity herself, but by submitting to what Ozpin had asked of her, she would cease to be herself. How much more did she have left to give?

It was queer, but standing in the hallway just now surrounded by all of her friends had reminded her of just how lucky she had been to be included in this assemblage of crazy. Her cohorts cared not about her status, nor reputation. Down here, among them, she was not even the focus of attention, and she herself was devoting that to another of the people she had come to call a friend. And looking then at the boy whose broken stare had not kenned her, she realized also just how much she still had.

They were made to be complacent in this school. Though it was designed to teach them to be warriors, huntsmen and huntresses, they had yet to face their own reality which awaited them. The truth that death awaited them around every corner in the real world, that they someday could be asked to take the life of another. Naruto had faced that just now. He would have to deal with it himself, on his own terms, but she had confidence that the unflappable young man would bounce back soon enough. She had met his gaze before and encountered untold seas of pain locked away under a frozen glance. It was clear to someone who shared such a lonely look that he had experienced far more than he let on. He could handle this small setback.

She admired his resilience, even in that empty gaze she could catch the sign of internal struggle raging. He would win, she had no doubt. Even if he really was broken, which she doubted, she knew now what actions she herself needed to take.

"Ms. Nikos?"

Glynda took a step towards the woman who was still staring off at the nearly invisible backs of her friends.

"Hm?" She turned to the blonde professor.

"Are you alright?"

Pyrrha smiled and nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

She then proceeded to pass Goodwitch who was still busy reconciling everything that had just been piled on top of an already shaky foundation and out into the light of the arena floor.

At the other end of the hall, the shorthanded teams JNPR and RWBY silently escorted the silent boy through the hall. They were not yet decided where to take him, but no one was forthcoming with any suggestion and were all just following their feet at that point back to the stands. Everyone was pretty quiet, stewing in their own minds the information or lack thereof that was providing hazardous potholes in their day that was riding along so well before. Nora was humming a little tune, however, as she, Ren and Janue trailed their friends.

Yang shot the girl a look. How could she be so carefree? Maybe it was the best thing they all could do for now, but dang it, how was she just expected to shrug off this veritable rape of her mind? She was too young to be going senile!

At least they had made sure Naruto was okay, or at least the physical part of him was. She was confused, the boy was normally so hearty, more prone to action than brooding like it seemed he was now. Hell, his fight alone had confirmed this. Even though Mercury had provoked him, none of them had contemplated that he would be prepared to execute the boy. He hadn't, but maybe that was what he was dealing with now. She thought she could understand, there was a dark part of him that he was trying to reconcile. She herself had some pretty strong emotions, but luckily, for her at least, they manifested themselves into rage. What they had seen possess the normally bright boy was considerably…darker.

Speaking of dark things, her partner had been exceptionally quiet, even for her, during this whole affair.

She stopped cold and the rest of her team pause right after, glancing back at Yang who had inexplicably stopped, causing the three stragglers to almost run into her.

"Yang, what's wrong?" Their leader questioned the suddenly very alert blonde.

"Guys, where's Blake?"

The others glanced among themselves, realizing as well that their Faunus teammate was no longer with them. When had she not been there? They had all risen from the stands and followed their leader who with her semblance was the first one down, and they had collectively followed her trail of rose petals. Had they left her behind? It was strange, but not overly so. They would just have to make their way back and see if she was still there, patiently waiting for them to return with the ubiquitous book in her hands.

But when they emerged again in the sunlight and growing din of the restless crowd who were anticipating the next match, a match that Ruby too was anxious to see, they found no black-haired woman. Where was she?

Torn between looking for their wayward teammate and watching her friends, both Pyrrha and Penny, and their match. They were forced to the latter, their near catatonic charge making gallivanting around the floating stadium a challenge, to be sure. It did not leave their thoughts, and only added to the growing garden of questions which had yet to yield any fruit.

They had no other choice than to sit tight and watch as red and orange clashed, Naruto sandwiched between them, still looking half lidded out into nothing.

Ruby glanced back and forth between him and the match now unfolding and sighed in resignation. The only thing she could do now was hope that things would go alright. Everything was just so far out of her control. All she wanted was her friends back. All of them.

* * *

"GRAAAAAAAHHH!"

Each and every one of Naruto's clones gave out a loud yell of both pain and effort as they struggled, a sea of blond against an ocean of crimson. The corrosive chakra of the Kyuubi poking out through the minutest of gaps in his defense, lanky fingers of demonic energy probing and slinking around the writhing mass of bodies, searching for a weakness. A chance, that Naruto was not going to give him.

"Give up boy! I am the only thing that can save us!" The Kyuubi roared out over the cacophony of identical voices, all shouting their descent at this demand. They rallied around a unifying and commanding voice, in the middle and everywhere within inside of the hurricane raging throughoutt the confines of the seal. "You had your chance! I told you to disassociate yourself from them, and I was right. That little whelp was going to stab you in the back, and you spared him! Why did you not let me take him out while he was lying there helpless?"

"Because that's not who I am!" Naruto shouted back against the tidal wave threatening to topple the bars, already eaten away like the ancient pylons supporting the floating city. He was not so much trying to stop the chakra escaping the cell as he was supporting the massive columns, thousands of bodies piled on top of each other, propping up the gargantuan constructs. The chakra would whip out and dispel scores of clones with its efforts, but the majority was focused on breaking the fragile stability of the cage. He was not even bothering with the seal, the seemingly fragile paper tag was the only thing holding steady as metal bowed and groaned under the combine strain.

How long had the two of them been at this? He had woken up to find the fox retracting a tentacle of chakra from where it was attempting to seep into the seal in favor of trying to ram his building-sized body against the corroding bars, seeing his host awakening and realizing that he was out of time for subtlety.

How had he lasted this long? The Kyuubi was supposed to be a nigh unlimited source of Chakra, but it seemed each retaliatory shove against the bars was getting weaker and weaker. The farther he stretched his reach with the crimson energy, the more anemic and haggard he began to look. Whereas Naruto had yet to start to tire, he could see the desperation and fear in the bags under the beast's eyes. He was a cornered animal, desperately fighting for survival. In a way, Naruto almost pitied him.

But this was his body, and he was not going to let yet another source dictate what he did. After the match, he was going to confront Ozpin, and tell him that he and Sasuke were not going to do his dirty work anymore, unless he could provide a damn good reason for his methods. Well, he would. Though he had been making some headway, he still could not speak for his partner. He did not know what was going on behind those onyx orbs, though he adamantly wished he did and tried on every occasion.

In any case, he did not want to force anyone to do anything they didn't want to, but damn it! This was his body, and he announced as much to the raging animal above the howling storm around them.

"Fool! You're going to get us both killed, and I will not allow that!" Kyuubi redoubled his efforts, and with a flying leap slammed his thinning frame against the bars which groaned a ghastly sound and knocked several blue-clad bodies off into the darkness. He retracted and repeated the process. Naruto swore he could hear a piercing snap, and looked to see if any of the bars had come loose. "I will not have my existence ended! If I am to disappear, it will be by my own initiative and in a blaze of glory!"

The Kyuubi hefted himself off of the damp ground with a concentrated effort, and fumbled back as he intended to throw himself against the bars once again. It was killing him, that much was evident as Naruto looked past the bodies and bars to see the patches of fur rubbed raw on the beast's hide where he struck the seal's constructs. He was panting, tongue lolling out and struggling to catch his breath in the storm he himself had kicked up. He was barely standing, and lightly swaying as he prepared to run once again into the breech he was attempting to create. The next time would be the last. For the bars, or for him.

"I did not have a choice." The fathoms deep and eternally ancient voice was a drone which carried over the turmoil. "When I was first sealed, I did not have a choice. When I was sealed again, the same. And the time after that." He took a tentative and weary step in preparation for an all-out charge and the collective army tensed in anticipation as the original looked on in a bitter cocktail of worry, pity and anger. "I did not have a choice when you and your foolish Uchiha friend brought us here. But-" The sagging eyes shot open in a burst of life fueled by rancor. "I will no longer be forced to do anything ever again. With my last bit of life I will fight!" Another paw followed the first and conquering the moment of inertia, the beast was in motions towards the crumbling defense.

"ENOUGH!"

It was through an unnatural feat of effort, though the whole damn situation was unnatural from the ground up, but the beast halted its charge and stood as still as it could at the finality of the command, its limbs trembling ever so. Naruto did not delude himself, it was due to the extent with which the fox was pushing himself, and not to fear of him and his order. What had stayed the beast, he did not know.

He could sympathize with the fox, as strange as that was. He admitted that he hated the Kyuubi for a while, for a long while, finally having a totem with which to direct his anger. But in the end he realized that the two of them were much the same, both prisoners to their fates, and now, fellow travelers through dimensions, shunted from their own world into the great unknown. He did not have to like him, but he could understand him. And now, he needed that understanding to reach an accord with the suicidal demon. This conflict was counterintuitive to both of their survival.

"That's enough." He repeated and the Kyuubi growled, angered at having been stopped in his fatalistic effort for escape, but made little effort to move. Perhaps he could not.

With but a thought, the wall of Naruto disappeared in a cloud of vapor which quickly dissipated in the quelling winds. A calm started to settle in the dank chamber as the original Naruto emerged from behind the delipidated bars and haze and approached the beast with renewed confidence. The Kyuubi eyed him warily, but in the end, his bravado and strength gave out and he all but collapsed on the floor, sending ripples of water to lap against the remains of the cage which even now barely held him. He was angry, disappointed in himself and frustrated with the tenacious blond who had Uzumaki blood running through his veins.

"You don't give up, do you?"

The tops and bottoms of the bars were worn to threads, gossamer holding them steady. It was the boy's will alone that was keeping them upright, and as he was now, the Kyuubi could not fathom overcoming his dogged determination. He was finished. This is the way it would end, huh? Not with a bang, but a whimper.

Naruto stopped his approach and regarded the prone form of the once terrifying and majestic beast. Matted fur, weary eyes and sorrowful creases imbued themselves on his silhouette. He was a mountain sized beaten puppy. Naruto was behind the bars once again, and knew that the beast would not, could no longer lift a paw against him. But he held back. He would not coddle the beast. It had been a mistake to reach out to the beast the last time. Whatever this was, it was a proud beast, and it did not respond to pity.

"We can't afford to be against each other." His voice was quiet but the only sound in the darkness. The creature did not need to breath, so all else was deadly still. "You need my help." The beast growled, but it was a paper sword. "And I need yours." The officious sound stopped, and the beast regarded him coolly, not giving anything away.

"For whatever reason, you cannot regenerate, and are dependent on my chakra. I don't know why, but for whatever reason my body seems to be ok in this world." He remembered the decaying sight of the once mighty bars and wondered just how long this fact would last. "So you are dependent on my body. But I need you for your mind. " Though he had improved under the tutelage of Goodwitch, he knew enough now to know that he knew nothing. He was humbled time and again simply trying to converse with his peers, Weiss and Blake easily outstripping any grasp he had on advanced vocabulary. He knew enough now to ask for help. "You have lived as long as the human race has been around. I know that neither of us has been in this kind of situation before, but I need your experience." He pointed a finger accusingly at the fox who looked funnily enough like a cowed dog. "And so I need you to be level headed! We can't be at each other's throats here!"

He lowered his hand and sighed as he ran the limb through his unruly blond locks. He would need a haircut soon. That, or a ponytail.

"We don't have to like each other, but I think that we have the best chance to survive if we work together. I'm not a fool. I know there might be times when I need you to take over." The fist clenched as he thought about what kind of desperate situation would require him to become a monster. Before, he might never have contemplated it, but now, after all that had happened…

"But! Only when I say so. In return, I need you to trust me." The beast let out a burst of air that might have been a scoff, but petered out into a diminishing scale of coughs. Naruto frowned in response to the derision, but continued unheeded. "I need you to trust me to understand humans more than you do. Even though we are in a different world, the people here are the same." The Kyuubi had to give him that, from what he could see through the boy's eyes, his current pack was every bit as deranged as the ones he hung around back home.

They were the same. But not. He weighed them as equal to the ones he had left behind, though they would never replace them. In the end, when the time came, he would have to figure out just which was more equal than the other. If the time came.

"But I will listen to what advice you have. You have a say in this too."

The fox perked up at this admission. This was a novel idea. Never before had any of his containers listened to anything more than his taunts and words of scorn. He did not want to believe it, but what choice did he have? Naruto waited to see what the Kyuubi would make of his offer. He was not sure whether or not the beast would accept, but sincerely hoped he would. Whatever the outcome of further conflict, if the Kyuubi broke fee or he subdued him, he did not want to fathom the consequences. The two had been in a symbiotic relationship for so long, could one really live without the other?

"You are a unique human." At last, the beast spoke. It was the rumbling of far of thunder. An improvement. "And you are in a unique situation. Do not doubt mortal that if the circumstances were different in any way…" He bared his teeth still razor sharp and formidable bone white tree trunks. "…I would snap you in half where you stood."

Naruto allowed himself a small smirk at this feigned defiance.

"Damn right I'm unique. There's only one Naruto Uzumaki, and don't you forget it."

The lips which bore the maw full of death themselves curled up into a smirk, which despite the haggard state of the beast was still a chilling sight. Oh no, the demon would be remiss if he ever forgot this curious container. Uzumaki Naruto was a name he was unlikely to forget ever in his lifetime. And as the minuscule creature raised his hand and sent a warming stream of blue chakra which permeated the demon's body and introduced an invigorating spark in to his tired body, the Kyuubi met the boy's stare. The look he gave him now was one that would be burned into his memory alongside the piercing gaze of the Sharingan.

* * *

Sasuke forcefully shut his eyes, concealing the swirling black irises floating in the crimson of the Sharingan. He stumbled and impacted with the concrete wall of a hallway near the peak of the stands, seeking the darkness it provided to quell his burning retinas. He propped himself up on the cold amalgamate and tried to slow his heavy breathing which came out in ragged gasps as it felt like his body was being consumed with fire, starting with his eyes and working its way through his brain and down his spine.

The past few minutes were blank for him, white hot due to the pain. As the blinding darkness started to retreat, he tried to piece together what had just happened. He had seen that girl, Emerald, start to cast one of her illusions. He had activated his bloodline, saw the amorphous cloud disseminate throughout the stands and had focused on it, then-

A swell of pain rolled back through his mind as he tried to recall what had transpired. He had reached out to the illusion, but something had reached back.

He felt something wet drip onto his clenched fist. Tentatively, and through much force of will, opened his eyes to see what it was that had landed on him. His vision was blurred and rose-hued, so he could not tell what was on his hand, let alone see his own appendage. He reached up to his right eye, and carefully wiped away the liquid that had pooled there. When his vision had cleared and he retracted his hand, he at first thought he had not been able to do anything, seeing only crimson. But then he realized the color was on his hand.

It was his blood.

Scowling he wiped his hand on his hakama, adding another darker red spot to the brick-colored garment. He did the same for his other eye and blinked away the remainder. He rearranged his feet underneath him and tried to push himself gently off of the wall that was keeping him upright. He nearly stumbled again, but caught himself again. His sense of balance was skewed, but quickly returning. The spinning hallway in front of him finding its level. He cursed as he pushed himself haltingly forward. HE could not afford to tarry here.

He needed to figure out if he accomplished his mission.

Shit!

She totally botched her mission. She did not know how, but for some reason the illusion that she had begun to cast did not work! She knew, because she had watched the replay on the giant floating monitor, seeing exactly what everyone else had seen, minus the few that her illusion had a chance to penetrate.

At first she had been relieved. Mercury, despite his vindictive and stubborn nature he actually seemed like he was going to be able to pull off his mission. She had timed it just right, and started to cast the illusion just as he leapt for the unknowing blond. She had to wince when he managed to hack off one of Mercury's legs. Even though it probably hadn't hurt him, landing in a tangled heap as he had certainly would have.

Something happened after that to stop the spread of her creation. It was like an arrow pierced her carefully molded bubble, and she lost all control over it. She was so stunned, that she was unable to react at first. And initially it did not even seem to be that much of a problem, as she continued to look on, the kid standing over Mercury ready to finish the job. Though she disliked the young man, she did not hope for his sacrifice to the mission to have to be this sever.

But something held him back, or at the last minute he seemed to come to his senses and miss a point-blank shot. It was then that she knew she was really screwed. She had leapt up from her seat before anyone could tear themselves away from the action down below and exited as furtively and quickly as she could. Now she was running, to where she was not quite sure. Cinder would surely be disappointed with her, and she had no idea how her mistress might react to her failure. Her role had been critical for this mission.

All she knew was that she was headed to what was to be the rendezvous. Whether or not any of them would be there, she did not know. It might not have been the smartest thing to do in the situation, she probably should herself just disappear. Mercury was either in detention or under the care of real doctors and so would be nearly impossible to get to. But she knew that if she were to vanish without an explanation, Cinder would surely hunt her down to tie up any loose ends.

She dashed through the labyrinthine hallways, dimly lit by their dust-fueled lights, not brightening anything past a shade of crack of dawn. She emerged into a more well-lit chamber running concentrically to the stands and the arena. She made a right automatically. She had memorized the stadium layout months in advance so that she did not have to think in this kind of situation. Her light footsteps were a tiny click of a metronome in the empty and echoing hallway.

One. Two. The third exit on the left, going clockwise around the ring. She darted towards the darkness, but before she could be immersed in it, a figure, black on black, emerged.

Emerald dug her heels into the cement to stop her from throwing herself bodily into the other person. Whether it was one of her teammates, or not, she did not want to run into anyone and raise any more questions which might delay her. Despite that, there was no reason to be polite.

"Shit! Watch where you are going! Move!" The three statements shot out without a pause as she tried to sidestep the figure that had blocked her path, not bothering once she realized it was not anyone she immediately wanted to see. She passed parallel with the person before a strong, yet gentle grip stayed her, and she realized that the deceptively soft hand had her trapped.

"Hey, hey, where are you going so fast?"

The green-haired woman turned to glare with burning crimson into an almost amused pair of amber slits.

"Let me go."

The woman dressed in black clicked her tongue at the demand.

"That's pretty rude, you just nearly run into me without apologizing?"

"Sorry. Now will you let me go?" She lightly struggled under the grip, but it did not give.

"Where are going in such a hurry?" The young woman raised a delicate eyebrow, and Emerald finally recognized her familiar graceful expression, though she had mainly only seen it from afar. "You know, foreign students really aren't allowed back in the service area, you should probably head back to your seat." Emerald was not fooled by the feigned innocence displayed to her, the woman accosting her had already had her suspicions even before she stopped her flight. In fact, she wouldn't have doubted it if she had not been waiting in the darkness for her.

"I could escort you back to your seat if you want, or…." Blake narrowed her eyes slightly, prodding the other woman to make a move that she might regret. "I could call security."

Emerald knew what she should have done then. She should have accepted the woman's invitation, and then hit her when she turned her back. But she was panicking, and feeling snarky. So many things threatened to go wrong right now, and she wanted to lash out at something, anything, and Blake was providing the perfect outlet. She roughly ripped her arm away from Blake's grip and the dark-haired woman took a defensive step backward, perceptibly reaching for her blade. Emerald smirked, almost glad that it looked like it was about to come to blows.

"Tsk, tsk, Blake, you know what they always say…"

She too shifted her weight and her hands hovered above the weapons holstered on either hip. They stood stock still, neither willing to make the first move. Emerald glanced over the cat-Faunus's shoulder and saw the projection of a shadow on the far wall, a creeping shadow just where she thought it would be. She smiled, recognizing the short stature of the swordsman, as the shadow clarified and the blade became visible. Finally, things were going her way.

"Curiosity killed the cat."


	24. Mussolini vs Stalin (Pt1)

**Hey hey, back from the dead. Not really, I know it hasn't actually been that long, but it feels like an eternity when you are doing things you don't want to. I meant to have this chapter up last week, but it was getting a bit long, and I wasn't sure where exactly to cut it. Anyway, good news from all this is that I am almost done with the next chapter anyway, so you should see it in the next few days.**

 **Not much to say this time I guess, enjoying the reviews, thanks to all who took the time. Yeah, even the naysayers, as always I cannot really hold it against you, we don't choose our mental deficiencies.**

 **To address two of the guest reviews, first off with just Guest, I appreciate your opinion, but if you haven't noticed, that has already been done, and quite well by several other people. It may be easier to empathize and comprehend what they are feeling being at relativity the same age, but I specifically want to put them in that awkward position, so I can bring up some of the aspects I feel are overlooked quite frequently. Yes, people normally develop in their late teens and early twenties, and some don't fully get there until their late twenties, if ever. I am latching on to the original premise that they are essentially child soldiers. I'm sorry, but IMHO, that is going to fuck you up big time. **

**And IMHO, I really don't care if an opinion is honest or not. I care about how many facts support it. Not trying to pick on you, Guest, just using you as a soapbox for a second. Probably doesn't matter, but some time I may come back to this just to see what my true weaknesses with writing are, and heavily supported opinions, not honest ones, are the best received.**

 **Guest** **907** **very glad you like it so far. I really take your compliments to heart. I understand the point about Emerald's semblance, and I am not too conceited to admit that I made a mistake. However, when I was writing it, I recalled seeing the video of Yang attacking Mercury when he was on the ground. Now, either she somehow tricked Yang's body into doing one thing, while she tricked her mind into seeing something else, or a bigger illusion was going on. I don't think I was clear enough, but Emerald was trying to project an illusory bubble over Naruto and Mercury, which would effect Naruto within, but also what the rest of the crowd saw. That was just my way of reconciling her abilities with what happened.**

 **And regarding length, you're not going to get rid of me that easily. I intend to be in it for the long haul. What that means yet, we will just have to wait and see what the series does.**

 **What are the rest of our cute little students and not so cute adults doing back in Konoha? Sorry, but that would be telling. But also, they dead. Or something like that.**

 **Again, want to thank everyone who reviewed, if you have an honest question or find something drastically wrong with my logic (or grammar or spelling I know I am not perfect) please let me know.**

 **Anyway, I'll shut up now and continue trying to finish Part2 so I don't leave you guys with too much of a cliff hanger. Wait, what am I talking about? I don't care about that. I feed on your suffering. Tears sustain me.**

* * *

What was this place?

It wasn't just where he was, wherever he may be way up there in a world he could scarcely comprehend. And it wasn't just where his conscious found itself, cross-legged in front of the King of Tailed Beasts on the stark floor of the seal imprinted on his navel, aging centuries by the minute and falling into decrepitude. The place he was now, was both these, all of these, and none of these. It was the confluence of everything that had happened to him in that previous life leading up to the untenable position he found himself in now, of everyone who touched him and their stories all rolled into this instance.

The beast staring half-lidded and rusty daggers in front of him was a part of him since he was born. Since before he was born. Though even now at their détente he treated him with barely restrained disdain, scoffing and deriding his every suggestion, Naruto could not be upset with him. He was frustrated, tired of being told where to go, what to do, with no map and no means to carve his own trail. Well here they were, at the cross roads with no trail ahead, and the two unlikely travel companions forced to forge into the unknown.

He, they, had been standing there all along, but could not see the woods for the trees. When he had woken, words came into his mind as they always had, and everything appeared as it was. He talked one-sided with Sasuke across the bars for a long while. Words spoken in a tone that was familiar, words he had always spoken and that had never left his tongue. Even when Ozpin came to reprieve them, he had not noticed anything amiss. Sure, there were differences, but the similarities were far too alluring and shunted the questions aside. It was a coping mechanism. But now the question was back. What was this place?

They were at an impasse, he and the fox. That is what started him on this train of thought. He remembered a time when he did not know that word, and the level yet patient voice of Glynda wafted through his mind to supply him with this description of the situation. She had tutored him, taught him better how to read and write. But she had not taught him how to read and write. She had not taught him how to speak. He had known, all along. How? What was this place that spoke in familiar words he had never heard before, faces he knew that were so foreign, and actions that decried reasons which never manifested.

What were they to do now?

A low rumbling like an acoustic base shook him. "I….don't know."

Neither did he, but there was no way back. The trail behind was overgrown, and the one ahead invisible. They had two options. Stay put and wait to be rescued. Or, burn the forest down.

The Kyuubi grinned and for the first time in a long time looked like his former terrifying self.

"…no." The grin fell and the fox rested his snout between his paws, looking decidedly put out at having his suggestion shot down so handily yet again. It was the third such course of action Naruto deemed inadmissible, and both of their wills were running low. The demon had also denied several attempts Naruto made to convince the king of beasts to simply 'wing it', and in their back and forth which seemed to have lasted hours had come up with no solid solution to their situation, which both agreed, was becoming untenable.

Naruto rubbed the cobwebs from his head and screwed up his eyes. He was getting a headache inside his own head, how was this possible?

"Man! What is your deal? I mean, you agreed to work with me, so help me out here! Give me something that I can work with."

The Kyuubi sneered and shut his eyes, whatever was amiss with him was rapidly draining his energy and all he wanted to do now was sleep. Sleep, and never wake up. Perhaps death was not so bad after all?

"You asked for my experience."

The words were a whisper of the earth shifting. You could barely hear it, but still felt it. Naruto looked back at the fox who lay close enough to him that should he be feigning his fatigue the beast could easily reach out with his maw and swallow him whole.

"In my experience, humans are cruel." His eyes cracked open and looked at Naruto with what could have been a hint of betrayal. "Humans are selfish, conceited, and most of all, untrustworthy."

Naruto frowned at this assessment. "You can't just sum up the whole of humanity in the same basket like that. I know there are bad people in the world, but my friends-"

"Your friends aren't here!" Claws screeched into the stone floor, and Naruto felt his heart skip a beat as the mirrored copper globes threatened to crush him beneath their weight. "In case you haven't noticed, you are not home, these are not the people you knew back then. Do you really think that those people you called 'friends' in Konoha would continue to trust you after they learned what you are?"

Naruto felt the claw tense around his heart as the Kyuubi struck true. He wanted to believe, he really did, but there was always that sliver of doubt in his mind. There was the possibility that was too awful to contemplate.

The beast grinned seeing his shot hit home, but it was not of victory, only of resignation. He could not extract any pleasure from torturing his host.

"You don't know these people nearly as well. Hell, some of them aren't even human! What makes you think that any of the other ones are any more so? They might look like humans, talk like them, fight like them, but how can you be so sure they see things the way you do? You cannot expect them to adhere to the same motivations that you do. So how can you predict what they are going to do? How do you know that you can trust them?"

Naruto was cold and silent as a statue as the Kyuubi went on his rant.

"You can't. You can trust no one. No one but yourself." The beast lowered himself, and the bile that had precipitated the diatribe receded as he looked almost wounded. "Be done with it. Leave them, leave this whole quagmire and just disappear."

Like the trail ends of his words born of vindication died in the dusty corners of the jail cell they both sat in. All was quiet in his mind.

Slowly, silently, Naruto picked himself up off of the ground and crossed the small distance remaining between him and the mountainous beast. Kyuubi eyed him lazily, but with a tiny spark of curiosity still burning. He got up so close he could see the smallest hairs on the fox's snout bend in the breeze of his steady breathing.

"Kill me."

Any other time he might have obliged him. He might have laughed in his face. He did not so much as raise an eyebrow.

"Come on. Kill me." Nothing happened for the fortnight which passed between them. "Well? Why won't you kill me?"

The Kyuubi growled lowly and wanted to turn over and feign sleep. Be done with this and let his host deal with the problems on the outside and sleep until death took him in unconsciousness. The conversation had devolved and now the impudent fool was toying with him. The least he could let him do was die in dignity.

"You won't do it." Naruto reached out and actually flicked the great beast in his damp nose. Kyuubi snapped awake almost instantly and reeled back at the unexpected affront to his nostrils and dignity. He was too shocked even to lash out. Naruto smiled, he had won his gamble, but he did not see it as such. "You won't do it because you want to stay alive. Everything wants to live, it's the nature of life. That's one thing we all share in common." The beast could not fault him that.

"So? That just reinforces my point. All living things will do what they can to stay alive. It is, as you say, the nature of life." The last bit was a parody of his previous statement, words dripping with sarcasm.

Naruto just spread his arms and stood stock still, crucified in the flickering light.

"So what do you have to lose? I'm a fool. If you put your faith in me, you're probably going to die along with me. So, what have you got to lose?" He contemplated it, but the Kyuubi could no more digest him than he could stomach a stone, the boy was steadfast in his determination and self-righteousness. He would probably get heartburn before he died. "You want to trust me. You want to believe there is some hope left for the both of us. That is one more thing that we all share. Hope."

"Delusion."

Naruto grinned and the fox matched the vulpine smile.

Same thing.

"So, we do this my way?"

The Kyuubi huffed and gave what may have been a shrug. He did not have much to lose. He would place his faith in the boy, and his faith in the people of this world. It couldn't get much worse.

"Trust me."

'Trust me.'

Those had been the parting words Sasuke had left her with when he disappeared to skulk around in the darkness once again, doing whatever it was he had not quite specified he was doing. He had not given her much to grasp on, but enough that she thought she could see a handhold just within reach. He was assuring her there was a safe path ahead for her, and hopefully the rest of her team to follow. In not so many words he had assured her that if she trusted his judgment on this one thing, then the way ahead would be clear.

Blake had had her faith betrayed, her blind trust manipulated time and time again, so why was she now here once again waiting in the dark, literally and figuratively, at the behest of someone else? Because, she reminded herself, it was an illusion. They were all climbing blind. He was not showing her the way, they were waiting just beyond her fingertips for the rest of them to catch up so they could support one another on this perilous ascent.

Everything would be illuminated soon enough.

There was a sinking feeling in her belly as soon as the green-haired girl turned the corner, like she almost didn't want to believe that he had been telling her the truth. But of course, there was no telling just yet just what she was running from.

Though now as she stood in Vacuan standoff waiting with baited breath for the other girl to make the first move as both their hands twitched ever closer to their individual weapons, she found it harder and harder to doubt the raven-haired teen. Even if he was right, why did she do this? She and her team were already mired in their own cult of investigation, why did she have to go and get herself involved in another precarious situation?

"Curiosity killed the cat." But not today.

She rolled off to the side, avoiding the succession of radiant green bolts that tore through the darkness of her previous position. She lashed out with the sheath of Gambol Shroud, hurling it at Emerald who handily threw herself out of its path. Coming out of the roll in a crouch she yanked back on the silken ribbon and her weapon arched back to her in a U that threatened her opponent once again. She flowed over the encircling trap in a move Blake imagined herself effecting, cat-like grace becoming of both adversaries.

Emerald released another salvo which Blake deflected with the katana before the other girl charged in for a more personal confrontation. Her weapons morphed into kusarigama coming in for an overhead strike which Blake deflected, stepping off to the side before rolling backwards to avoid the follow-up horizontal slash, one blade following the other. Sheath now back in her left hand, she sprung back into the fray, swiping and slashing which met with the other girl's own weapons or her fluid movements.

Their fighting styles were so similar it was like watching an intricate waltz, with neither relenting, but neither getting any closer to scoring a hit. Each of them dancing around the other's blades, bodies flowing dynamically in unseen currents.

Blake decided to break the stalemate with a gamble. She slashed downward with her katana in a more obvious strike which would leave her open, she hoped the red-eyed woman would take her bait. Emerald smirked as her two weapons convened on either side to scissor the extended appendage off at the shoulder, but steel met only steel as Blake threw herself up and over, simultaneously discharging the pistol built into the hilt and releasing a precious dust round into the ground in front of the both of them. She was propelled into the air as Emerald crossed her arms to cover her torso from the scorching blast and debris.

Emerald was blinded as Blake's foot came down in an axe-kick assisted by her fall which cut deeply into Emerald's shoulder. The other woman let a pained cry out from her clenched teeth as she was sent to a knee. Blake was not finished. When she landed, she immediately pushed off with her back foot and shot a knee like a spear into the crouched illusionist. She was sent sprawling onto her back, but as Blake looked over her to deliver a finished blow, she reacted blindly barreling to the side and stopping only at the wall in a sitting position from which she unleashed a blind fury of fire which lit up the hallway.

Blake was forced to dodge and retreat for the time being, staying low to avoid the un-aimed fire which mostly struck the wall above her head, and waited for it to end. She crouched, sword and sheath in each hand like a panther with its claws drawn and circling its wounded pray. But Emerald was not as helpless as a rodent might be, and aided by the wall she stood to her feet again, never taking her squinting eyes off of the predator lurking ahead of her.

She was breathing heavy, though. She had used up quite a bit of ammunition in that little exchange, and she had not brought a whole lot with her, considering there was not supposed to be any firefight involved in the mission. Not to mention, even if her illusion was dispelled prematurely, she still felt the strain from trying to affect so many people at once, even if it was just a projection onto the one fight it took a lot out of her each time she used it. Could she even use it again if she had to? She never should have engaged in combat with the dark-haired woman, her anxieties getting the better of her and fight or flight kicking in too soon. She was not prepared for this, and was hard-pressed to find any hope of her getting out of it unscathed.

Cinder would be annoyed with her. That fact bugged her more than anything else, and gave her the added incentive to try and end the bout as quickly as possible.

Out of the corner of her eye, though, she once again caught the flicker of the approaching shadow, the still silent needle creeping around the rounded corner and felt herself smirk. In her current state, Blake might be able to best her, but even at her best, Neo would make mincemeat out of the cat-Faunus. She just had to hold off a little longer.

Summoning her reserves she once again dashed at the other woman, feigning a break for the darkened passageway that lead to the service docks. At the last second, she veered to the side, like a professional football player dancing around the ball with cleats digging in and changing directions on a dime. She leapt to her left, towards the shadow as Blake tried to intercept her on the right. As she passed, she struck out at the Beacon student with her sickles. Blake, with her back exposed whirled around to intercept the reaching strike to the base of her spine.

Emerald past the awkwardly positioned woman and with her momentum planted a foot on the wall and threw herself off to the left, and to the safety of her relief force. She landed in a panting huff, the short exchange already waring heavily on her.

"Well, it was good to catch up and all, you know, have a nice girl-to-girl chat, but I really have to be going. You know how it is Blakey, things to do, people to see. So I am afraid we have to end this little game early, you understand don't you?" Blake regarded her with a curious yet lazy look, which was a far cry from the frustration of desperation Emerald might have expected to see on the student's face. This only caused the interloper to smirk in barely restrained contempt. Did the other woman really have that much faith in her skills, that much hubris to think that she could take on two opponents at once. She would have been insulted at the slight to her own skills, but felt the maliciousness win over thinking about how Neo would take her to pieces.

"I agree. It's time to end this."

The voice should have reassured her of her rescue, but it didn't. It shouldn't be there, and it was decidedly not the voice of a petite girl. Ice rushing throughout her veins, freezing her in place preceded her jerking her body to the side in the nick of time to avoid a thrust which pierced the air hovering over her tone stomach with a piercing whistle.

She stumbled and caught herself on one of her blades serving as a third leg while the other raised itself to defend herself against the follow up slash which knocked her once again from her precarious position and she tumbled into the unrelenting concrete wall with biting hiss and a wince, the uneven surface digging into her exposed back. When had her Aura gotten so low?

She chanced a glance up to what she once thought was her salvation, transfigured into one of the individuals she perhaps least wanted to see. Sasuke stood there in the aftermath of his attack, sword parallel with the ground and twin lumps of charcoal burning through her. The bottom dropped out then, and she felt her legs start to shake involuntarily. She did not need anyone to tell her that she was in a tight spot.

The black-clad Faunus on her left, the rust-colored youth to her right, and her back against the wall. It was time to find out if she could still use her semblance.

Slowly, not wanting to give either enemy reason to attack prematurely, she found her feet again and prepared to project her web. While she was weaving the illusion, she lowered herself behind the screen, preparing to slip away under the simple ploy. She locked eyes with the Faunus, whom she would have to pass as she skirted her way to the door. Good, her eyes were locked on where she was, and not where she was headed. Just a few more steps-

She jerked her head back as a knife imbedded its tip into the wall to her left, passing underneath her extended neck. She gulped and turned towards the recent arrival, eyes wide and fear propagating as she met his stare. He had locked eyes with her, and her blood ran cold. They were no longer those pitch-black irises, and what met her stare was something out of a nightmare, crimson blood red to outdo her own, with whirlpools of commas swirling so that she might be caught in their undertow. And he was looking right at her.

"Don't move."

She had no trouble obeying, she couldn't move anyway. Despite her current lack of strength, no one should have been able to break through her illusion, it wasn't possible. Was this his semblance? The all-seeing eye?

Her strength gave out then, the last of her Aura wasted and dispersed into the tense atmosphere and her knees followed soon after, buckling as she slid to the ground. She faintly recognized the clatter of her kusarigama on the artificial floor, the raggedness of her breath and the pounding tattoo of her own heart. Her eyes were still locked in their blank stare and nothing else registered.

He approached tentatively, cautiously as Blake stood her ground ready to jump in if need be, if she should be faking the abject fatigue. But they needn't have been worried, she wasn't going anywhere.

Her eyes may have been locked with his, but he was intimately aware of his surroundings, luckily because the next step he took was a quick one back to avoid a sudden ball of fire that burst and spread its burning bits in a line blocking off the dark-haired boy's advance. The orange flames danced in his glaring crimson orbs as they darted over to the hallway she had been trying to find her way to before everything had turned to the mess it now was.

"You."

She wanted to smirk, but it turned into a wince of pain. The malice conveyed in the address was much the same feeling she had when the young man had miraculously morphed from the shadows. It seemed the tide had turned. She glanced up from her place slumped over on the ground to the origin of the interjecting projectile. A lithe and black flame against the orange, her body danced through the fire as she sauntered over to where Emerald lay, and she felt a weight lift from her shoulders. Her mistress would know what to do. The other two didn't stand a chance against her.

"I must say, I would find you two very intriguing." An immutable smile was plastered on her face, unwilling or perhaps incapable of showing any discontent at having had her carefully laid plans thwarted. "If it weren't for the fact that you keep trying to derail my plans, I think you two would be quite useful. As it is, however, I found you to be like an exotic pet. Interesting to look at, but a pain to keep around. No matter, when we are done here, I will put you back in your cage where you belong." All of this was directed to the seething and wary boy, but now her attention was redirected to Blake who had remained more or less ignored during the opening act. Her grin grew a little more poisonous. "And you felt the need to drag an innocent down along with you. Pity. Oh well, I'm sure there will be enough room in the cage for another animal or two."

Blake bristled at this address. Not just the shot at her Faunus status, but the thought that she was being sidelined in favor of the Uchiha. "He didn't drag me into this. I'm here because I want to be, because defying you means stopping the White Fang from hurting more people. And you're wrong, at the end of this, you'll be the one behind bars."

"Blake, wait-!"

But she had already leapt over the continually burning flames and towards the femme fatale who still stood stock still with the amused look still peeking out from underneath the lock of ebony hair shading half of her face. She fell with a powerful swing, Gambol Shroud sheathed in its cleaver form, devoting all of its mass into this attack. Cinder simply stepped to the side and let the strike sail clear past her. Blake turned to press her attack, but with a single flick of her wrist, Cinder sent a mushroom of flame at the cat-Faunus who was sent tumbling back, rolling to her feet as she glared and flared her nostrils. She could smell the rancid smell of her singed hair.

Unfazed by the move, the woman unhurriedly stepped through the flames to her downed underling. She stood over Emerald as the girl looked up at her master, begging forgiveness in her eyes with a hangdog look. She did not expect to be rescued, even now she half expected the older woman to sever the loose end there and then.

"Oh Emerald…." Cinder cooed as she bent down to brush a jade lock from her face. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that. Come on, let's get out of here." She picked the girl up like she weighed nothing and turned to go, but before she could, the fire she had spawned to put a wall between her associate and the troublesome teens was whisked away from the two of them like a giant vacuum had been turned on and they all condensed around the blade Sasuke had extended in front of himself. Cinder watched with a cocked eyebrow as her attack was absorbed by the red-eyed boy.

"You're not going anywhere."

A flick of his wrist sent the flames in a flat arc at Cinder as she cradled the downed Emerald. But she did not so much as move a step as she reached out with the hand that wasn't supporting the younger woman and with a flick of her wrist dispersed the flame hurled at her into nothing but firefly embers that were extinguished as their fuel disappeared.

Sasuke narrowed his gaze at the woman as his sword which had once again become alight with the dancing flames of his rage extinguished itself. He was reluctant to use that ability in the best of circumstances, and it seemed here that it would be worse than useless. He was not about to give his enemy any extra ammunition.

He cursed as he watched the temptress turn to depart as if they were not even there. They may as well not have been. This was the worst person he could be pitted against, most of his techniques were fire based and would be useless against her.

Most of them.

He turned to his ad hoc partner and met her incredulous gaze.

"Blake, cover!"

She nodded and threw herself into her task without hesitation. Using the pistol imbedded into her katana, she let loose a series of dust rounds, these imbued with a special blend of wind and water. But they too may as well have been fireballs, or even plain bullets as the fire-mistress simply seemed to reach out to each one and a concentrated ball of flame spawned to meet each and every one of her shots. The ice rounds burst from the sudden change in temperature and the shards sublimated into vapor as they fell.

Meanwhile, Sasuke planted his sword into the ground as he crouched and began going through a familiar series of hand-seals. He did not much care about hiding this technique anymore, if they could end it now he and his partner would not have to hide in the shadows for the rest of their time in this world.

Blake, seeing her attack had no effect, opted for the direct approach once again. As the woman casually made her egress towards the hallway, she charged her with the sheath she had thrown leading the way. It was thrown aside as Cinder once again asserted her prowess with flame and with a hand created a wall of flame between her and the oncoming projectile. As the flames died away, however, the shadow-girl burst through the flames with a slash that actually forced Cinder to lean back, awkward still with Emerald cradled in her grip, but she did not yet seem to be too hindered.

Blake lashed out again, but before the chambered strike could be let lose, Cinder threw a flame at her feet, which consumed the woman in a shower of flame. But as the outline of her burned to a crisp, Blake herself appeared above the doppelgänger and another strike came with her. Cinder dodged this one too, but missed the sheath trailing behind, tugged along by the silk cord. She frowned as she was forced away from the door, and back where she came from.

She clicked her teeth in annoyance, but before she could come up with either a retort or attack, the orange glow of the flames were drowned out by a flickering blue light, and the crackling overtaken by the squeal of thousands of angry birds feasting on ripe carrion. She turned to see a black and crimson blur charging at her with an impossibly bright blue light blazing ahead. The human projectile was approaching far too rapidly for her liking, and she knew that even she could not hope to dodge the attack in time, and it was quite obvious from the way the very atmosphere disappeared around its orbit that she did not want it to connect.

She could not stop it either, but luckily she did not have to. A wall of flame erupted around her. It was a feeble attempt to stop the cutting electric blade, but that was not its purpose. It swirled and concentrated into a stream that shot directly at the other woman who was stupefied by the two powerful techniques being displayed to her.

Crying the name of the technique shifted to an expletive as Sasuke saw her intended target. He urged Blake to snap out of whatever stupor had grabbed her, but realized all the same that she would not move in time. He could not stop either, but with some effort he could change his trajectory. He threw himself between the pillar of flame and the gawking woman, throwing his crackling arm in an upward arc as he did so. The electric blade severed the fire stream in the middle, and the electric energy instantaneously destroyed the remaining oxygen, removing one of the pillars form the flame's support.

He dug his feet in and pivoted to face the woman before she could get the drop on them again, but she had already predicted his interdiction and another pillar of flame was sent in the wake of the first. He cursed as his technique dispelled itself, damage already done. He spun around and without protest, grabbed the young woman and threw the both of them towards the only place not currently on fire.

They alighted on the far wall and to Blake's continued surprise, they stuck there as Sasuke turned back to where their two enemies had been. He sighed, as expected, they had fled. Though that might have been for the best. Even if he had the time to draw upon the curse seal, he was doubtful that even the two of them together would have been able to best the mysterious and dangerous woman.

As the flames died down, he leapt to the ground with Blake still in his arms as he graciously set her back on her feet. She nodded silently towards the boy, acknowledging his quick save, but mortified all the same. Not at the fact that she had been rescued, but at the fact that she had been a detriment in the fight, rather than a benefit. She ground her teeth as she sheathed her sword. She turned to Sasuke, but even as her mouth opened, she saw him shake his head calmly.

"She's too powerful for us."

She held her tongue, but there was still a bitter taste in her mouth. Had she been more prepared, Sasuke might have been able to capitalize on the element of surprise and they might have been able to pull a victory out despite the obvious gap in their strength. His words changed nothing about the way she reacted. She did not know what she had expected when he approached her today, but she knew that she had not predicted this. This was a fight for life and death, and she had failed. Though she had been given a second chance and would not make this mistake a second time.

"Blake."

She turned at his address and regarded his almost apologetic expression. She wanted to tell him she was alright, that she wouldn't be caught off guard next time, but it was he who spoke first again.

"It's not over yet."

Not by a long shot.

Devoid of snacks or weapons immediately within grasp Ruby was forced to other compulsions, namely biting her nails as she watched her friend Pyrrha down below fire several shots at her other friend Penny, who used her insanely unfair dexterity with her flying blades to swat each of them down like gnats. But her redheaded friend was less perturbed by this than she was, as she hastily shifted Miló into its spear form and rolled along her shoulder to avoid a trifecta of swords that shot after her in succession. She deflected the three with her shield before bridging the gap between her and her surprisingly able opponent and forcing the strange girl to step back and gain distance so she could wedge more blades between the two of them.

Aw man! Why did this have to be so hard?

It also did not help, she reminded herself glancing to her left, that one of her dear friends was zombified after his unusual behavior displayed during his own match. It had been almost a half hour since she and the truncated teams RWBY and JNPR absconded with him from Goodwitch's grasp, and the boy had to do anything more than breath and follow their gentle guiding. Yang had suggested taking advantage of his quasi-unconscious state and get him to write an embarrassing testimonial. Despite Weiss's protests, even when they could get the pencil in his hand, they could not coax him into writing anything. That venture flopping, Yang wanted to console herself with drawing something embarrassing on his face, but both Weiss and Ruby denied that option, causing Yang to pout. Though Ruby knew that her sister was just putting on a front. They were all worried for the boy who had become an oddly transient addition to their gang.

It also reminded her of her other teammate who was not currently present. Blake had run off by herself before, and with less than stellar results. But she had promised to trust her team if she were to do anything dangerous ever again. Ruby wanted to trust her, but still could not burry the feelings of trepidation that continued to plague her. Everything was just piling one thing on top of another all at once, and she was fairly certain it was causing her to age prematurely. She better not get wrinkles from this!

She sighed, diverting her half-attention once again from the fight, where Penny seemed to be especially consternated at somehow continually missing the Amazonian. Naruto continued to stare half-lidded into the air, lights on, but no one home. The saddest part was looking at his eyes so dull and lusterless. It was a tragedy when they were normally so full of emotion. Be it happiness, mischief, or even sadness, anything was better than seeing them so… dead.

They were murky and impenetrable. Even her own eyes, though sometimes described as gray, always had a silver sheen that was more vibrant than what she saw now. She had never told anyone, not even her sister, but she had always been jealous of those eyes, and self-conscious about her own. She had so many doubts which hung off her red hood. Some of those revolving around her age were assuaged when the two boys showed up inexplicably on the trip to Beacon. They were as out of place as she herself was, she may have been awkward, but she could also recognize that trait in others.

It had been such a relief, to have two other people who could understand at least that part of her plight. But that wasn't the end of it. The two of them were so capable, and in particular the boy next to her, so confident, that her insecurities were redoubled. How could she hope to compete with those two? She had been let into Beacon early because she was special, but how special could she possibly be in comparison to those two?

She wanted to pout and rave about how it wasn't fair. And it wasn't. She supposed she felt a little bit of empathy for Weiss after all this. But she did not shoulder her own personal problems on the two of them, that would be even more unjust, and not at all in her character. It certainly wasn't their fault. And Naruto had been so kind and selfless to everyone he encountered, always willing to lend a hand without a glance to reciprocation. Even at his lowest, he never seemed to give up, and she could not help but admire that about him. She wanted that as her moto from that point onward. Never give up. His spiral sigil would be a backdrop for her own, even if only in her mind.

With this in mind, she could not afford to be so disparaging of herself. She would have to be strong, for her team's sake, for her friends' sake. For his sake.

….Darn it, why wouldn't he wake up. She wasn't sure anymore whether she was anxious or bored!

"You know, a watched pot never boils."

She turned to face her partner, a coy smile on her own face as she chided her young captain. Ruby huffed and pouted and her jest.

"Look, I know you're worried, but there is nothing you can do right? So the best thing we can do now is just keep him safe, and watch our other friends' match."

Ruby did not have the will to contest this, she knew her friend was right, but it was still just so difficult not being able to do anything but sit on her bum and wait for others to be ready. At least she was not as fidgety as Nora, who was bursting at the seams and clambering all over her friend as she shouted advice, both good and bad, at the two combatants.

"No, no, no, Pyrrha! I said break her kneecaps not sweep her!"

"Nora, Penny is our friend too…

"Fine, fine, just curb stomp her then."

"I'm pretty sure that's worse."

"No! It's easy and fast. How can it be bad?"

Arguing with Nora was as fruitless as trying to wake her friend with loud noises and a bucket of water had been. Things would just go the way they would in their own time, there was no point fighting it. Time marched inexorably onward.

Too slowly for the high-strung girl.

There was a large explosion that came from the arena and her attention was diverted down there. Pyrrha had narrowly avoided a concentrated laser blast from all of Penny's sword platforms and now she was once again on the move, trying to get in close where Penny could no longer use her weapons to maximum effect. The explosion had blown a big chunk out of the stadium floor and sent debris hurtling towards the stands. Most all of the chunks as well as the concussive shock was blocked by the kinetic barrier encircling the arena, but the compressed air managed to be funneled out of the open top and reverberated around the stands, echoing like a sonic boom.

The curtain fell over pale blue and it rose to introduce a familiar role to the next act.

Something stirred next to Ruby and she tore her eyes away reflexively from the battle heating up ever more down below. No one else was looking anywhere but there, the chance to see such an acclaimed matchup was too good to pass up for most, but others had their priorities straight.

"Naruto?"

He blinked again, and again, recognizing that he was once again of this world before he seemed to gain his hearing again and turned to respond to the disembodied address.

"Ruby?"

"Naruto!"

He was totally unprepared to be on the receiving end of a flying glomp which nearly sent the two of them tumbling down into the lower seats in a tangle of blue, red and gold, but was enough to alert the rest of the students to the fortunate news. Several sets of eyes were alerted to the disturbance occurring within their proximity and turned fully to see what was more important than the match of the century going on down below.

"Hey! Foxy, you're up!"

Yang was the first to gain her bearings in the chaotic scene in front of them.

"Naruto, are you alright?"

Totally perplexed by this overly-affectionate greeting and blushing like a tomato, Naruto looked quizzically at the white-haired girl.

"Um, yeah, why wouldn't I be?" As far as he knew, he did not sustain any injury during the match. In fact, he was feeling pretty darn good for once, as if he had taken an invigorating nap. Not that he had much prior experience with that to this point, however.

The others, teams JNPR and RWBY minus Pyrrha and Blake he saw, all stared at him incredulously, making him feel very self-conscious.

"Do I have something on my face?" He asked, rubbing his hands over his visage trying to feel anything amiss.

"Yup! Whiskers!" The others ignored Nora pointing out the obvious. Yang started snickering, though.

"No, but you have a seem to have a tag-along on you shoulder."

Again, confused by the whole situation, Naruto realized that Ruby was still clamped onto him as if he were a giant teddy bear, cheek pressed against his arm, almost painfully now that he realized it. At the same time, Ruby caught on to what she was doing, and what her sister had just pointed out as she released her friend with a meek yet mightily embarrassed "EEP!" She flew back to the confines of her own seat as the others had a chuckle at their expense.

But being the butt of a joke was not something Naruto would tolerate for long. He had just come back from his hard-fought argument with his currently very freeloading tenant to find himself back up in the stands with no recollection of how he got there. The last thing he remembered was….. what, exactly? He struggled to recall, but everything past standing over Mercury, sword sticking out of the stadium floor and the boy gazing up at him in abject fear was a haze of images he could not sift through, until he awoke in the Kyuubi's cell in time enough to see the beast trying to flood the chamber with the last of his Chakra.

"How did I get here?"

Once again, they all looked at him as if he had grown another head, but Ruby laid a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with no small amount of concern.

"You really don't remember?" He shook his head negative, and she prused her lips, unable to decide if she should tell him what he did, what he was about to do to his opponent. How much did he remember?

Fortunately, the decision was removed from her hands as Weiss decided to relive her from her dilemma.

"We walked you up here." Eyes turned to her and she shrugged, not entirely comfortable being the center of attention suddenly. "Goodwitch was taking you to the infirmary, but you looked all right so we offered to take you back here and let her do what she needed to. She has other duties besides taking care of you, you know." Weiss lectured the boy who at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed with how much this criticism rang true.

"You could walk well enough, and we just lead you back up here. You didn't seem to be suffering from a concussion or anything, so we just kept an eye on you while we watched the match." She continued, gesturing down to the fight still very actively being conducted as they chatted. Naruto blinked and regarded the two combatants for the first time. He watched with no small amount of curiosity for a few seconds before the color drained from his face.

"Naruto, what's wrong?"

That was the question of the day. What was wrong with him? Whenever he had been in the Kyuubi's seal before, despite spending hours in the fox's presence, it had only ever been seconds in the real world. How long had he spoken with the fox? How much time had passed while he was away arguing with the fuzzy beast?

"How long was I out?" He questioned the petite girl next to him, and she frowned, trying to estimate the approximate number.

"I don't know, forty-five minutes, maybe?" Ruby suggested.

Naruto looked downwards, thoughts that had been eschewed to far away recesses when he had been with the fox suddenly came rushing back, and he was struggling to make sense of them. Suddenly a thought occurred and he shut bolt upright and looked among the stands as if searching for a particular face among others.

"Where's Sasuke?" He had expected his teammate to be there when he finished his match. They could not afford to be alone when their enemies were afoot and so close.

"We don't know." Ruby said with a frown. "He came and talked to Blake, and then-"

Before she could finish her thought, Naruto bolted from his seat and leapt over his shocked classmates and towards the exit.

"Wait! Naruto!" But even as she called after him, Naruto had disappeared down the hallway and out of sight. Ruby stood up in her seat and began to give chase, before she stopped herself and looked back down at the arena and then to her teammates, a torn look on her face. Yang just sighed and swept her hand at her younger sister.

"Just go after them."

She did not have to be told twice, decision made for her, she too disappeared, leaving a hail of rose petals and rather miffed Yang at having her hair mussed up from her sister's summary exit. If it was anyone but her….

She relaxed and flopped back into her seat with a sigh, something she felt she was doing too often these days. She felt a gentle pat on her shoulder and looked right to see Weiss reaching over the seat her sister had just vacated to offer her condolences. The two of them knew just how hard it was to deal with her sister. To be fair though, this whole school was totally nuts.

"Yeah! Aim for her nuts!"

"…. There are so many things wrong with that, I don't even know where to begin."

The problem was, he had no idea where to begin looking for his wayward friend, and he assumed the Faunus of team RWBY. At least, he damn well hoped they were together. Things would be so much more difficult if they weren't. Of course, that sprouted numerous other seeded questions. How much had Sasuke told her? Had he told her anything, or was she the one chasing after him? Or worse, what if it wasn't even anything to do with their mission? What if it was something personal….

He shuddered and killed this thought with a lead pipe. He was hesitant to put that possibility ahead of them both being killed or captured, but was not sure what would be worse.

He sped down the dimly lit hallways, there were few obstacles in his way, as most people were still fixated on the match. He did have to quick-step around a couple of people returning from the restroom who simply could not hold it any longer, but apart from that, he saw no one. And he was really starting to get worried.

He stopped to take a deep breath and try to calm himself down. He closed his eyes and focused the same way Glynda had instructed him to do when he was supposed to write an essay. He needed to remain calm, address the issue: his teammate as well as Blake were both missing. Was this really a problem? Why was this a problem: because if Sasuke was not there when he woke up, that meant he had more important things to do, and there were very few things that could be at this stage. Ok, present statement: I have to find them. Supporting evidence: …

This was where he stumbled, he had nothing to help him with his goal. He had no idea where they would be because he did not know why they were not there. So no help using logic to find them. None of their teams seemed to know where they were, so help was out. He snapped his fingers as the obvious solution occurred to him in a blinding flash of the obvious. He put his two hands together in the most practiced hand-seal he knew.

"Tajuu, Kage-Bushin no Jutsu!"

The hallway was flooded in a matter of seconds with an army of blonds who rapidly dispersed under the cover of smoke summoned when they spawned and fanned out to fill every nook and cranny of the stadium, hoping to find his friends before it was too late. It was perhaps rash to use so many clones in a public area, and especially when he had no idea just how much weight the floating stadium could support, but he had other priorities right now.

He could not afford to fail.

They had failed.

They had failed in their endeavor, and it was all her fault. She curled up into herself in the jump seat of the medical transport being piloted by her mistress, refusing to meet her eyes for fear of what untold amounts of disappointment she might see there. She hugged her knees tighter and wished so desperately that she could cry. But she had not done so, not for real, in so long, she wasn't even sure if she could. Plus, whatever modicum of respect Cinder had left for her would be extinguished immediately if she showed such weakness. But how could she not? Everything they had worked so hard, so long for, had been botched thanks to her, and that stubborn blond boy.

As Emerald sulked in the seat midway to the back, Cinder concentrated on flying and after she was well and truly clear of the coliseum, she set the controls to cruise, setting a leisurely flight path back to the outskirts of Vale. Once done, she tapped a few buttons on the console, and a smaller screen popped up on the display with three parallel lines, jumping to the ringing noise that accompanied them. The ring sounded twice before it was cut off, and the green screen with the graphic lines disappeared to reveal a smirking visage that was becoming more and more a pain to address as of late. But now, he would be all the more necessary.

"Ah, Cinder. I was wondering when you were going to call. I just saw the match. Your little puppy didn't exactly do as he was supposed to?" Cinder frowned and glared at the man through the screen, and even with the distance between them being virtual, Roman Torchwick flinched under her stern glare.

"No, it wasn't that, it was….." She glanced back to see if Emerald was paying attention to the call. Even with her experience she could not determine whether the girl was aware of her surroundings right now. She turned back to Torchwick "… something else."

Roman frowned and hummed, obviously curious but unwilling to overstep his boundaries in what was a delicate operation. That is….

"Is the operation still on?"

Cinder's rare frown disappeared in favor of her immutable smile.

"You should know better, Roman." She admonished the seasoned criminal like a schoolboy, and his frown deepened. "It takes more than a little setback to interrupt my plans." He had his doubts, but so far Cinder had proven herself not only resourceful, but reliable, even when things did not go right the first time. She made accounts for contingencies. "I've already sent Neo ahead to your position. She'll clear the way for you."

"The way… where, exactly?"

"I'll let Neo tell you that, when she arrives. It won't be long."

Roman's eye twitched at the obvious jest she put on him, but in the background she could see a shadow approaching the orange-haired man, and seeing her eyes no longer focused on him, he spun around and swore something that was not picked up by the microphone. He sighed, realizing it was the mute swordsman already arrived, and turned back to address his leader.

"Alright, alright, I'm going now."

"Good."

And with that, she rid herself of the image of that frustrating man. She turned back around to see Emerald exactly where she had left her. Still imploding in on herself and mentally flogging herself for what she deemed a personal failure. Cinder smiled gently and approached the desolate girl. Emerald jumped a little when she felt Cinder's arm snake around her shoulders, and then envelope her in a delicate embrace.

"Shh, shh, it's alright." Cinder cooed, and though Emerald had not been aware when she started, she suddenly could not force the hiccups from stopping, nor the tears from sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm-I'm- I'm so-so-so-" She couldn't get the words out, but choked on them as Cinder ran her unmarred hand through her jadeite hair, hushing her from attempting another apology.

"It's ok. It's ok, silly child." She was so upset with everything that had happened, everything that would now not happen, that she didn't mind being talked to in such a manner. She deserved it. She did not even know where Mercury was at the moment. She had failed him too. Though she was glad in a way, he would have teased her unmercifully at this display. She hoped he was hold up somewhere in a Vale prison cell. Hell, even a real hospital.

"Silly child." Cinder reiterated. "It's not your fault. I underestimated those two boys." Emerald painfully raised herself to look at her mistress curiously. How could she not blame her?

"But it's all over. I failed, and all that work was for nothing."

Cinder's smile only grew.

"Silly child." That was the chorus for the evening. "Do you really think that two little boys could foil the plans I have worked all my life for? No, no matter how hard they try, no one can stop the inevitable. Everything is already in motion, they can either stand in the way and be crushed, or get swept up in the chaos.

"Everything will be alright." She continued to stroke the green-haired girl who felt some of her confidence return to her at these words of reassurance. Though Cinder always kept them blind to her schemes until the last minute, she had yet to steer her wrong. She would not hesitate to put her faith in the woman yet again. If she said everything would be alright, it would. If she said the two pests were going to be crushed…

They would be crushed.

If some poor fool were to stray in front of her path right now, they would be crushed like ants under her stiletto heels as they clicked angrily against the academy's granite flooring on her tirade back to her ship. This had been the third time in as many days that she had been recalled to this particular school, which, while it was not the least desirable place she could list offhand, was currently grating on her nerves.

The first visit had been alright, because it had been just that- a visit, to see how her little sister was fairing at this highly renowned school, so far flung from their home city and from her current assignment within the Atlas ranks. So she was worried about her the safety and contentedness of her little sister, sue her. She may have been a Schnee, but she was still allowed to care about family. For a little while at least, for she had left not soon after arriving, duties calling her back home while she reluctantly left her commander and a small flotilla guarding the proceedings of the Vytal festival.

But that was when things started going amiss, or at least certain anomalies started manifesting themselves in her orders. First, the majority of the detachment sent along with General Ironwood had been recalled to Atlas, without her knowledge so that the ships miraculously appeared one fine morning out of the early dew and scared her half to death, thinking that an enemy invasion was about to take place. Whatever reason the general had for recalling those ships and soldiers, he had wasted no time in executing the order.

And then of all things, she herself was recalled, and not even in her duty as a military officer, but as a favor to the headmaster of Beacon. The man, upon her arrival, then proceeded to show her what in her opinion looked like a child's squiggle trying to emulate the Schnee family semblance. The entire time she analyzed it, she felt like she was part of some huge joke at her expense. This was only exacerbated when she was once again recalled back to Atlas to take care of her other assignments that were languishing without her supervision.

If only that were the end of it. She received an emergency message late last night, indicating that her sister had gotten involved in some sort of altercation with another student, and that she might be hurt, but the message was brief and vague, two things that never boded well in military situations. So, seeking special dispensation from her immediate superior in Atlas, she requisitioned a reprieve and boarded her private cruiser as soon as she was physically able and made her way once again back to the academy. She had been there so many times in the past few weeks, she almost felt like she was attending it herself.

But the really strange and exacerbating thing was that upon arrival, no one was there to greet her and direct her to her sister. In fact, few even knew her whereabouts other than suggesting that she might try the coliseum, because 'that's where everyone else is'. She bristled and immediately afterwards barged into the headmaster's office, only to discover that neither he, nor any other of the normal staff was even present.

She decided to take matters into her own hands, going to the hospital on campus, and though helpful and courteous (one tended to be when confronted with an enraged Winter Schnee), they had no idea where her sister was or even recalled admitting her recently. Finally, at wit's end, in desperation she texted her sister, only to promptly receive a response asking what in the world she was talking about. Furious now, at both whoever had decided to play such an elaborate and inappropriate prank on her, as well as herself for failing to try the obvious thing first, she stormed her way back to her ship and it was only through great fortune that the halls were empty this time of evening, for that tantrum really would have caught any innocent bystanders in its furious sweep.

She never even got to see her sister in all the furor, and now all the work that she put off by coming here last minute was piling up and she needed to return post-haste. Perhaps the only consolation would be the brief period of travel time between there and Atlas in which she could manage a few hours uninterrupted rest while she let the autopilot guide them back.

At the thought of the chance at much needed rest, her pace slowed somewhat rounding the corner to the dock where she had arrived, her shoulders slumped and the crick in her neck became evident again, a screwing and niggling pain that had been with her as an unwanted companion for some time now. She never should have taken a desk job. The next time she got time off (whenever that would be now, considering this little emergency trip took just about all the clout she had) she swore to treat herself to a nice massage in one of Atlas's boutique parlors.

She was not too tired as to be unalert however, and before she could round the final bend to her transport, she heard the distinct sounds of conversation where there had no right to be one. She slowed further, and pressed herself against the corner, trying to attain an inkling as to what these voices were talking about. She was not sure why she was being so cautious, but considering the entire school seemed all but deserted this particular evening, the anomaly of a conversation, one-sided and animated as it appeared to be, set off alarm bells to anyone paying attention.

"…..I tell you, that woman has no respect for me, none whatsoever."

There was a pause, but no reply to this indignant declaration. Soon the same voice continued.

"I mean, she keeps me in the dark all the time, and just expects me to do whatever she asks when the whim strikes her! Why can't she at least send me someone who would tell me something?"

There was another pause without words, and Winter began to wonder if the man, for that was clearly what the person speaking was, was simply on a rant at whoever had sent him to the school at that time of night. Winter could almost feel herself sympathizing. But when he continued, it was very clearly directed at another person there.

"Oh, come on! Don't pout. I enjoy your company, but you have to admit, you're not exactly up to any witty rapport."

Her curiosity more than piqued, Winter glanced around the corner, hopeful that she was still hidden in the shadows, to better ascertain the characters in this odd encounter. She spied through the darkness, a cleanly dressed man in attire that would be more appropriate in an Edwardian ballroom than hunter academy, as well as a much shorter silhouette adjacent to him, the only distinguishing feature to which she could catch was tail of bi-colored hair. But the shock of orange she spied underneath he man's bowler was more than enough for her to make a split-second judgment. She knew that shade and swagger from countless security videos and in hindsight should have caught on immediately with that nasally and grating tone.

"Torchwick!"

The accosted man spun to face the source of the cry, and as she revealed herself from her hiding spot, Winter drew her saber brandishing it menacingly at the duo. She could now see his compatriot more clearly and was mildly shocked to see the youthful and innocent face on the other side of the dichromatic hairdo. The seemingly young girl cocked her head in an almost amused gesture, and Winter felt a small shiver run up her spine being appraised by the mismatched pair of eyes.

Mild surprise registered on the man's face before a subtle yet confident grin manifested itself, not all that displeased at being caught in whatever nefarious scheme he was perpetrating.

"Well, well, it's nice to be recognized. Sorry, but we don't really have time for proper introductions. See, Neo here and I, this is Neo, by the way, she's a little on the quiet side anyway, we really must be going. We have people waiting on us and it is just terrible manners to keep a lady waiting, so if you'll excuse us-"

The flagrant criminal whipped up the tip of his cane and fired a flaming missile at the immaculately dressed officer, and Winter was undaunted at this surprise attack, manifesting a glyph directly in front of her which detonated the explosive charge, filling the arched hallway with a fiery orange light and the lingering smell of rotten egg. From within the blast, Winter emerged an avenging angle on the warpath strait at Torchwick who was not so much surprised at her surviving the blast, but the speed with which she closed the distance between them. He involuntarily screwed his eyes shut as he felt the disturbed air from the saber brush aside the cowlick lock across his face, and in the darkness he heard a resounding clang accompanying a distinct lack of pain.

He ventured on opening his eyes to see a still terrifying sight of the blade hovering centimeters above the rim of his hat, despite the fact that another pencil thin blade was all that stood between it and its intended target. He let out an unconscious sigh of relief.

"I knew there was a reason I liked having you around, despite wanting for conversation…"

He leapt backwards himself as the diminutive girl took his place in front of the enraged Schnee with a casual twirl of her blade and coy smile directed towards the older woman. Winter was none too amused at having been so easily halted in her strike, and rightfully cautious of her unassuming new opponent. She warily kept the girl in the corner of her eyes as she watched Torchwick retreat towards the waiting ramp of her cruiser.

"Well, this has been fun and all, but like I said, I really have to be going. So if you wouldn't mind, Neo…"

The so named only smiled and waved blindly at the retreating crook as he sprinted over to Winter's ship.

"Get back here!"

Winter dropped her blade to project a glyph at her feet that launched her forwards at great speeds towards the back of the fleeing orange haired man. But as her blade passed closer to nicking the man's spine, the increasingly familiar blade interjected itself once again between her and her target. She snarled and tried to sidestep the short-statured swordswoman, but was interdicted when she quickly pirouetted and forced Winter to block the swipe that would have taken her head off.

She hopped back as the small girl swung her parasol-handled blade at her extended legs, blocked and cocked her head aside to avoid a stab to her scowling visage. She watched with a distinct grimace as the loading ramp was retracted and the hull doors folded in on themselves and seamlessly met, sealing her off from her own craft. Dozens of courses of actions started running through her head about how to curtail the man's plans with her vessel, but were violently cast aside when the improbably young woman continued to press her silent attack. Winter was forced to sidestep and tear her eyes away from the slowly rising hull lest she not take her adversary seriously.

She showed that she herself was no slouch with a blade, as after the stiletto blade swung past her she retorted with a series of slashes with her own sword which were deftly blocked by the innocuously expressed fighter, but which forced her back a few steps with their ferocity. The young girl did not seem to be deterred by the disparity of strength, however, as her creepy smile grew at the escalation in the dual.

They disengaged and Winter formed yet another glyph using her semblance at the feet of the girl, hoping to halt her long enough that she could go after her stolen vessel, or worse case, finish the fight quickly. She made to dash passed the seemingly shocked girl, out into the now open dock and making after her ship still not out of reach from the ground when her gut threw her off to the side just in the nick of time to dodge an upward swipe that might very well have bisected her. She rolled on her back to avoid yet another relentless attack aimed to skewer her to the ground, and rolled to her feet to face the still smiling girl, very decidedly not immobile like she intended.

Shocked, Winter cast a glance back to where her glyph still lingered on the stone floor, trapping an equally surprised young woman, before she looked back to where the same person stood, wiggling her fingers in an innocent wave, and then without missing a beat, charged the woman again with a swift and unforgiving stab. Abjectly confused, Winter sidestepped and deflected the blade, hazarding another glance back at the body double trapped in her semblance, only to see that she had disappeared into thin air. She was not given any more time to contemplate this discrepancy however, as the young woman who was not trapped and certainly not lenient did not give her the chance. Winter was forced to refocus all of her attention lest she continue to underestimate her and make a careless mistake.

She glared at the young delinquent who only further enraged her by responding with the same casual smile, and flicked the point of her blade up, clearly ready for round two.

Meanwhile, while the two women engaged in their prolonged dance, the pragmatic criminal stood hunched over the consul in the shanghaied cruiser, randomly depressing buttons and trying to make sure he did not crash prematurely while searching for the communications. He felt an incessant vibration in his pocket, and took out his scroll to see a flashing text awaiting his review.

Put your scroll in the consul.

Roman smiled and did as the device instructed.

"Thanks, Neo."

The screen in front of him went red as soon as he did this, however, and alarms started to blare before they were quickly cut off, and the adamant warning on the screen alerting him to the unauthorized usage of the vessel fuzzed out of sight, replaced by a blank blue, before that too shifted and a series of status bars and readouts filled the corners. A projected map of the ship's current course and position loaded into the background, and a simple joystick and lever rose out of the physical instruments in front of him.

"Well, that's convenient."

He did not even have to grasp the manual controls as he simply pressed the projected green triangle in the middle of the screen, and the ship lurched to comply with the pre-ordained course laid out on the virtual map. He saw the avatar of the craft jerk over to the dashed line and inch its way towards the circular object ahead of it which took up nearly a whole grid square. At the corner of the screen an insert popped up displaying a familiar face.

"Success, I take it?"

"We had a little run -in, but Neo is taking care of it."

Cinder frowned slightly, but nodded all the same.

"As long as you have control and are on your way.

"No problems there."

"Good. When you get close, we'll pick you up. Just leave the scroll in there when you leave. Don't worry, we'll get you another one."

Roman nodded and smiled and then the projection of the mastermind behind the operation disappeared and he was left alone in the relative silence, the low hum of the dust-fueled engines the only accompaniment to his sigh as he disengaged himself from the autopilot now thoroughly in control, and plunked himself down in the surprisingly comfortable seat installed for the pilot. He leaned back unworriedly and propped his feet up on a bare spot of the consul, careful not to mess with any of the ship's other functions. As far as heists were concerned, this one was not all that difficult. He hoped the rest of his assignment would be as trouble free.

"So far, so good."

So far, she had found hide nor hair of her friend who had inexplicably dashed off from their company with nary a word as to where he was going. Well, she had at least not yet found the original. She had however, encountered a good dozen or so copies aimlessly splayed out throughout the otherwise empty hallways. She had tried to get the clones to listen to her pleas and take her to her friend, but even though they seemed willing enough, they somehow had no idea where the original was, as he too had dispersed amongst them as soon as they spawned.

Ruby glared at the latest clone to tell her this, and in her frustration bopped it on the head with a close fist, but immediately regretted it when the copy vanished with a surprised look etched on its face before it dissipated into smoke. Darn it, she didn't mean to do that! She was just frustrated with how unproductive her search had been this far. That, and she still had no idea what was going on!

She swore, though, that when she found her blond friend she was going to tie him down and make him talk to her. He may not have been a member of her team, but he was a friend as surely as anyone else could claim that title, and she was worried for him. Not to mention, he along with his own partner, seemed to be keeping the knowledge of where one of her own teammates had vanished to. It was clearly no coincidence.

It hurt a little to be kept so in the dark. She could almost understand the adults not informing them of what was going on, deeming them children. But those two were younger than she was! Could she really not be trusted to help them out when they needed it? She shook her head to rid herself of these unhelpful doubts as she sped through the empty, yet crowded hallways, stopping only to interrogate the stray group or individual clone she ran into along the way, trying not to give up hope of finding Naruto and getting him to listen to her. It was like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles.

"Naruto, Blake, where are you guys?"

She questioned the desolate hallway she encountered before dashing off the other way. She only hoped they had not left the arena, though she did not think it likely. But then again, with all that was happening behind the scenes, anything seemed possible at the moment. Besides, if Naruto's clones were still here, searching, then he himself should be. She just hoped that she got to them both in time. Whatever had prompted Naruto to take off, he had done so in a hurry.

What had they gotten themselves involved in?


	25. Mussolini vs Stalin (Pt2)

**Well, well, well, this took a bit longer than I thought to get out. Sorry. Not schoolwork this time, just got addicted to Game of Thrones, and well, you know how it goes. Plus, reading a bunch of other things to purge my mind of all the dry and really quite depressing stuff I have to read in preparation for a thesis. Ah well.**

 **At last! Someone got the reference! Possibly one of my favorite lines from Red vs Blue. I really need to catch up on that series as well. I can't remember where exactly I left off, but it is unfortunately one amongst many, many other things I intend to watch, so I have no Idea when I will get to it, woe is me to live in such a world with such easy access to visual stimulation.**

 **As usual, thank you to Follow the Code for your kind and just review, and once again, not just because I am biased to praise, but I appreciate the time and dedication!**

 **I am so enthused to see so many new readers as well.**

 **madeyemoody95** **, I am stunned and humbled by your eulogy! I am the first to admit that my language can be a bit prolonged, and quite frankly, long winded at times, but in comparison to other authors out there I do not find my style anomalous. Judging by your user name, I imagine you a person who binge reads quite frequently and so are probably used to being able to stomach dense writing. Additionally, you are able to catch important detail, this is a skill that few people possess, and I myself struggle with continually. Use and comprehension of language are two different skill sets, not always mutually inclusive, so do not diminish this accomplishment!**

 **I too had a little chuckle while writing that. Yes, it is a reference to a very obscure Japanese film, (that I am so upset with myself for not being able to remember the name right now!), a very bizarre, obscure Japanese film. Which is kind of redundant if one knows anything about Japanese cinema. I like to include references in my writing, it is a fun little game to see just how small the world is, so I tend to do it quite often, even unintentionally some wonder, we are products of all that goes on around us, so I do not think we can help it. In fact, once again I find an other's words best to describe it:**

 **Don't ask me who's influenced me. A lion is made up of the lambs he's digested, and I've been reading all my life. -Giorgos Seferis**

 **So I hope to see you all at the end of this chapter, in another life, when we are both cats.**

* * *

It was like a sewing machine. At least, it was what she imagined a sewing machine to be like, never having experienced such mundane activities in her household. The closet memory she could associate to this feeling was the few scant times she had visited her grandmother in the summers before she passed. The few times she was allowed the briefest respites from grueling training, sitting at the kindly old woman's feet, playing with handmade stuffed animals while she occupied her hands with affecting repairs on another toy, or darning yet another worn garment. Even if they had been able to afford one, Pyrrha knew that her grandmother would have always preferred to stitch things by hand. It was such a calming and cathartic exercise, requiring dexterity, precision, and ingrained skill through rote practice. That was how Pyrrha knew that she was related to the woman whose red hair had long since gone gray. They both liked working with their hands. The tactile feeling of something responding to your whims, and even the times when it didn't and the point missed its intended target.

The pain reminded her that she was alive.

She cartwheeled backwards and dodging the succession of blades piercing the earth, narrowly missing her, brought her back to the present and away from that little cottage in the mountains with the cool breeze over the wildflowers. The needle-like blades stopped short of piercing through the rock-hard turf, and luckily herself, like the giant piece of fabric of the universe. They had not been as close, this time, and she had not even have had to use her semblance to redirect them. Which in itself was a little disconcerting, given how precise the increasingly odd woman had been until now.

She realized then that her opponent, Penny she recalled, one of Ruby's friends, was herding her, trying to put some distance between her and the Athenian woman. She saw the blades strung like so many puppet-fingers on almost invisible wires collect themselves like a cloud of fireflies above the orange-haired girl. They glowed green and Pyrrha knew that she was in trouble.

She waited until the concentrated beam was but a heartbeat away before she removed herself from her crouched position, rolling away from the blast area to relative safety. Still though, through her Aura she could feel the intense heat and pelting of debris from the blast zone. She did not dare to look back, and instead tried once again to close the distance between the two of them. The other woman had proven surprisingly adept at being able to keep her outside of arm's length, despite her ability to control the blade's polarity.

The whole battle was in fact quite odd, if she stopped to think about it. Where was this diminutive girl getting all this power from? The redhead could also feel an odd sensation coming from the woman whenever she used her semblance to nudge the blades out of her path. It was a sort of feedback, a push in the opposite direction, telling her that there was more metal in the field around the blades than she expected. But she did not stop to think about it. There was not time.

She ducked under two of the blades swiping at her back before she spun and deflected another couple with Akoúo, never losing her stride, and reaching out to thrust at the girl with Miló, forcing her to dodge. She did not stop, seamlessly shifting her spear to a sword and forcing the girl to engage her in close combat. She had no choice but to accept, retracting two of her blades which she palmed, deflecting Pyrrha's strikes to her head and torso. But still, she pressed the attack.

She cut the girl off from her sidestep, ramming her shield forward and blinding her opponent at the same time. Now she had her, she could feel the blades on the other side bounce back from the force and knew she had the other woman off balance.

She thrust her sword almost through her shield, canting the latter aside at the last possible moment, and catching the other woman broadsided.

Or so she thought.

Another blade descended from the sky and interjected itself between the pair almost at the exact instance Pyrrha stabbed. This time, it was the Amazonian's turn to be caught off guard, as her own blade was deflected down and to the side, and she stumbled forward with her momentum. She caught another interloping blade on her shield, but was forced to roll off to the side to recover from her awkward footing. Before she could even return to her feet, another two blades bounced themselves off her shield, making her take several steps back.

That was the story thus far, two steps forward, and two steps back. She just could not seem to catch the other woman unaware, or even brake her stride with her superior strength. The petit girl belied her size and seemed to be able to match her blow for blow. She started to realize that she would need to rely more heavily on her semblance. It had been a long time since she had been this hard-pressed in a match.

She was excited.

She threw herself fully into the battle, lost herself in the moment to moment decisions that would accumulate to the end result of victory or defeat. This is where she could be at home, where she could breath and not give a thought to any of the issues and insecurities which lay outside the ring. She would fight as Pyrrha Nikos, again, and for the last time. The next time she fought, it would surely be as a different person.

* * *

Who was that person fighting down there? Sure, they had all seen the Invincible Girl fight before, in Glynda's class mostly, but a few of them had made it a habit to watch the tournaments which made the woman infamous. But the person that was fighting down there was something else to behold, a crimson fluid of incalculable profundity and strength, flowing around the blades stuck in her path, and brushing them aside as she forged her path to the end.

Yang felt a little jealous of the redhead woman.

It wasn't that she considered herself any less of a fighter, if push came to shove she figured that she could hold her own against the touted champion. It certainly wasn't that she was more beautiful than the blonde bombshell, although the other woman dead have that Amazonian charm about her, almost a full head taller than anyone else in their class and no slouch either when it came to her other proportions. No, watching her as she was now, the thing that stood out in her mind like the brilliant red on the drab background was the confidence that she managed to convey, even the vast distance between the fight and the stands was not enough to diminish the brilliance with which she shone.

Yang just did not know if she had that kind of determination in her. Why had she decided to become a huntress anyway? Because she could? Because she wanted adventure, thrills? There was no one to begrudge her of this tawdry reason but herself. She knew that she needed something more, a drive not only to get better for the sake of improving, but a true goal that that would be something worth fighting for.

"She's really something, isn't she?"

Yang did not take her eyes off the fight as her last remaining teammate spoke to her, words devoid of the usual pandering and sycophancy that was usually associated with her when she talked about their class champion. She could only nod dumbly with the tone of admiration. That she was.

Yellow and White sat next to each other in mute awe of the raging battle down below, but Yang noticed that distinct change in Weiss's tone, and soon curiosity drove her to question it.

"Hey, Weiss?"

The other girl glanced over hearing her name called.

"What is it, Yang?"

A few months. That is all they had actually known one another. A scant half-year since they had all become acquainted, though in that span of time they had found a camaraderie that she never knew to exist, or at least, one that she could never imagine being bestowed upon herself. Even a few weeks ago, she might not have really felt comfortable bearing her soul like this, but in that time they all had undergone a profound change that was not quite tangible even now. They were teammates, and when that had started happening, she wasn't quite sure.

"You remember when Oobleck asked us about why we wanted to become huntresses?"

The other woman blinked at the non-sequitur before screwing her brows together in a pensive look that could almost be considered cute, considering she wasn't glaring at Yang currently.

"Of course, why do ask?"

"I don't really know…" She did not know herself why it suddenly found itself at the forefront of her mind, but there it was. "I just wanted to know, is it still the same reason, for you?"

"Yes. I mean, I think so." Weiss's brows furrowed a degree more, and she turned away from the blonde, looking inside herself. "I mean, I still want to prove myself in my own way. I want to be more than what is expected of me because of my name. But…" She hesitated.

"But… It's not enough? There's more now, isn't there?" Yang ventured.

"I…. I think so. But I don't quite know." She hugged her arms around herself, as if getting a sudden chill that she tried to ward off. "I grew so tired of people expecting things from me because I am a Schnee, both good and bad. I just wanted to be me, but…" She sighed. She knew when things had changed, when that contaminate of doubt had had a chance to sneak in, but she wasn't sure if she could tell Yang about the incident. It wasn't that she did not trust her teammate, at least that wasn't all of it. She was just still making up her mind about what happened, and what it meant to her. The person she had fought, whether or not it really was Sasuke behind that black specter, was so much stronger than she was. Stronger than she feared she could ever be, and all of her determination to prove herself had not been enough to best the beast.

Yang sat silently waiting for her to finish her thought.

"…but it wasn't enough. And… I don't really know what more I need, but at the very least, I know I still have to find it. And until I do, I'm going to keep going on this path I have chosen." She finished with a resounding determination. She knew that the journey was far from over, but she would not give up any time soon.

Yang saw her teammate, and friend, reach her conclusion and be satisfied with that transitory goal. But she herself still had a hard time reconciling this. What was enough? What was enough to better oneself? What was enough to satisfy oneself in the life they had chosen? She still did not know.

She hummed to herself, eyes on the fight, but still deep in thought. She mulled over her own reasons, Weiss's profession, Blake's noble goal, her sisters. They all seemed to be a better reason that what drove her, but according to Weiss, even that was not quite the end of the matter.

"What do you think their reasons are?" She asked again, and Weiss took it to mean the two currently engaged down in the ring. They were fighting with contented grins on both of their faces, though Pyrrha clearly was the more determined. It was why she would win. But still, if one looked closely enough at the tawny girl, they might be able to see the smallest vestiges of an emotion other than carefree enjoyment on her face. Something was changing for her, too, down there.

Weiss just smiled softly, sorrowfully.

"I'm sure I have no idea."

They could hardly fathom what was in their own hearts, how would they be expected to look inside the head of someone so much a stranger to the both of them. And then both their minds drifted to the other strangers, the two boys who showed such prowess and doggedness when it came to anything they set their mind to. Be it training or combat, both of them threw themselves in wholeheartedly. They hardly ever even went out to Vale, choosing to spend their spare time improving themselves by whatever means necessary.

There might have been a small component of fear behind their studiousness. That knowledge that each one of them had buried deep down, that acknowledged their precarious mortality in their line of work. But there was also a desperation, as if not only their own lives depended on it, but the lives of many others also rested on their shoulders and theirs alone. In some ways, it was true for all of them, but Yang could not fathom that to be the whole case. It was not as if there was a true paucity of hunters in Remnant. Yet she could also not imagine that they were deluding themselves.

Where had they found the will to go on the way they had?

"I'm worried."

Yang turned back to Weiss, who indeed had minute creases around the edges of her mouth as she scrunched her face in concern. The conversation was a little solemn, but she did not know what the other woman had to be anxious about.

"About Ruby and Blake." She elaborated. She did not need to say it, but Yang also knew the two boys were included in her concern, though Weiss may never admit it. "They have been gone a long time, I just wonder what they are doing."

They both worried about their friends and comrades now. It was one thing watching them fight down on the stage, at least there they knew where they were. It was another to be plagued by questions to their whereabouts, and what kind of dangers they could be in.

"Eh, don't worry about it. The two of them can take of themselves."

She offhandedly attempted to assuage both their fears, though neither believed the façade. Sure, their partners were both capable individuals, and as likely as they were in the company of the two transitory males, they had two strong people looking out for them as well. However, in this very uncertain time neither could quite bring themselves to be so sure.

* * *

Ok, what were they to do now? Sasuke wasn't sure.

They had just watched the two, now thoroughly guilty parties escape through an impenetrable wall of fire that did not seem like it was going to die down any time soon, and to top it off, it was barring them from their best chance at following them. All the rest of the docks on the North side of the stadium were past the lashing flames, and they probably did not have time to get to the others on the South side.

"We can't stay here, we have to get someone who can deal with this."

His companion acting as a voice of reason stirred Sasuke in to action. He nodded to the raven-haired woman, grim determination etched on her face in the flickering firelight. They took off down the other end of the hall in search of someone or something that could take care of the conflagration before it spread to other parts of the stadium. The obvious choice would be if they could find Glynda or Ozpin, but neither knew where the former was since this morning, and the latter had been transitory for the entirety of the tournament.

The man always had a habit of turning up at the most inconvenient times. Why couldn't he bother to show up now?

The two of them worked their way to the interior of the complex, up and around the way they came. They might not be able to get the knowledge of the two escapees to the boy's handlers in time to prevent their escape, but the sooner they did, the sooner they could track them down. They had slipped up doing something this blatant, and Sasuke wanted to take advantage of his opponent's misstep. The fire could wait, fortunately. Though a hazard, it did not seem likely to burn through the concrete any time soon.

First to round the corner into the next concentric hallway, Sasuke nearly ran full-on into a speeding body nearly the same height and mass as himself. Both stopped in plenty of time, though, and Sasuke instantly recognized the garb and appearance of his partner, finally deciding to be effectual it seemed. He might chide him later for his inappropriate timing when zoning off, but now was not appropriate.

"Naruto!"

The named blinked, then saw the other individual appear from the connecting hallway.

"Sasuke, Blake?" He questioned, turning to his partner, silently asking how much she was privy to, and in those regards, just what the two were doing together running at full tilt.

Sasuke just fixed Naruto with a look, and nodded. She knew enough.

"Naruto," Sasuke called the boy's attention back to him. "We need to find Goodwitch or Ozpin, have you seen either one recently? We tried to catch Emerald and Cinder, but they escaped in a ship."

The two names made Naruto flinch, and he wanted to question just why they happened to be chasing after them. To his knowledge, neither had done anything overtly subversive since his match. Then again, he did not know how long he had been out. At least his two friends appeared to be alright, if slightly grubby. It was obvious there had been a scuffle.

He shook his head dismayed.

"No, sorry, I haven't seen either one since yesterday." Sasuke frowned at the news, but his compatriot had more to add. "Wait! I'm just a clone. Now that I've found you, I'll just dispel and then the boss can stop looking. Maybe one of the others found one of them. What happened?" Naruto added quickly.

Though Sasuke was a little put off at the news that this was not really his comrade, the end result actually might work out better in their favor.

"There's no time for that right now. If you see either one of them, just let them know to be on the lookout for any ship acting anomalous." The clone nodded, not exactly happy with being kept in the dark, but also fully aware of the urgency. He paused halfway through bringing his hands together to forcibly dispel himself however, and eyed Sasuke with a tiny hint of bashfulness

Sasuke saw the hesitation and just sighed.

"It means acting strange."

Naruto grinned and nodded before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The remaining boy just shook his head with a small smile. Naruto may have benefitted greatly from Goodwitch's tutelage, but he still had a long way to go. He frowned, thinking of how outclassed he had been by the conspiracy's leader, and realized that they both had much to improve on. He was not quite sure how they would go about it. It seemed to him that they had just about reached their limit of improvement within their own strengths. How could they improve themselves when they were the only ones who understood their fighting styles?

"So what do we do now?"

Sasuke turned to the cat Faunus anxiously awaiting an answer. He could see that she was still a little startled from the near miss not minutes before. That, and he realized how much her blind faith in their righteousness was wearing on her. He was sorry, but there was not going to be any relief any time soon.

He frowned, closing his eyes and resting himself against the wall. He seated himself on the ground, legs crossed and arms folded. He felt the cool relief from the inorganic material, and the welcome silence from the crackling flames and their own huffing breaths. Silence, he desperately needed to compose himself and think.

The woman's frown deepened slightly, but she emulated him soon after, forcing herself into a calm state that used to come so naturally, though she had had little time to practice it as of late, being so tied in with team RWBY and their antics. She regulated her breathing and sat opposite him in the hall, trusting that he knew what was best in the situation.

"We wait."

* * *

"Wait…"

Naruto skidded to a stop and clutched his head as he fell to his knees. A film role played through his head on fast forward. Or was it two? Or three? Or a dozen different movies all slightly similar but different that played one over another consecutively. He started to get a visual migraine. At least, that's what he thought this knife lodged in his brain wiggling around like some writhing worm was called, never having experienced one before.

All at once the images petered out, and he blinked, sorting through everything that had passed through his head in that instance, staring at the dull concrete floor in relief, monochromatic and drab the only stimulation he could take right now. He was really only aware of his own breathing, slow, and the pounding of his heart after running all over the stadium, frenetic. Slowly but surely, things started sorting themselves and the pain turned into a dull throb. The black that had been encroaching on his vision receded, and he gripped the sandpaper-like floor, steadily raising himself back to his feet.

"Sasuke…"

He had seen his friend in one of his hallucinations. Him, and…. Blake? Yes, he had seen her too, and in the same memory, he thought, but he could not be sure. He had also seen Ruby, several times in fact, so he was a little dubious as the veracity of his memories in that instance. Whatever the case, he had to find his friend. It was obvious that something was going on, and his clone's memories just reinforced that. It finally dawned on him that that was what it was. He resolved to never dispel so many all at once before. But at least, they had helped him expedite his search.

It turned out that he was not too far away from them now, though he did not know it, it was lucky that they had to backtrack a good way, for Naruto had just finished searching the South docks himself, and was halfway back to the meridian, and thankfully on the same floor.

He picked himself up, uncaring of the gray dust that had accumulated on his knees in the interim, and once again sped off in the same direction down the maze-like hallway. This time, though, he knew where he was going.

"Hang on guys, I'm coming."

* * *

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hang on, don't go!"

Ruby had just about to catch another clone to interrogate it as to the whereabouts of her friend, the real one hopefully this time, when it simply stopped where it was and vanished in a puff of smoke. She screeched to a halt in the rapidly vanishing cloud of vapor, grasping out in futility trying to snag the blond boy back from the ether to which he disappeared.

But it was all for not, as she was left alone in the hallway, despondent and no closer to finding her friend than she had been. In fact, as she realized just how alone she was in the stark hallway somewhere in the bowels of the floating arena, she was probably further away than ever. She wanted to sulk and pout about how unfair it was, but that was not the kind of girl she was.

Well, it was kind of. But after she had a good pout, she would redouble her efforts to locate her friend. He had to be somewhere in the stadium, and hopefully when she found him, she would find her missing teammate as well.

She was about to take off again, vigor renewed by the mental pep talk, when she realized that she had no idea where to go next.

"Nuts."

* * *

"Nuts."

Cinder raised an eyebrow menacingly at the orange-haired crook as he popped another of the said snacks into his mouth, nearly choking on it with the withering look he received. Satisfied at least that the man was in pain, but most importantly on board, she turned back to the ship's controls, leaving the suffocating man and Emerald, slightly cheerier now to see one of her least favorite people in an uncomfortable situation.

When he had finally dislodged the offending legume from his esophagus and recovered his normal steady breath, he glared at the amused look the green haired girl was sending him.

"You're just jealous that I got to have such a cushy ride. I swear, those Atlesians sure can be pretentious, but you should have seen how well they stocked the galley. Nuts! Chocolate! Champagne! And not the cheap stuff either." Roman would have continued to expound his admiration for the luxury his stolen craft had provided for the brief period he was aboard, but Cinder shushed him, none too kindly, and he realized that though he was not yet out of the woman's good graces, his levity was not appreciated at the moment.

The smaller vessel was silent for a beat as he watched out the front windows, the form of his darling prize growing ever larger until it stopped, or rather they did, and waited. It was hard to tell from a moving vehicle, but it was soon clear that the airborne whale was indeed moving of its own accord, no sentient pilot at its helm, turning now so that its length disappeared slowly from view and they were left with only the sight of its dust fueled engines, mutely glowing in the waning light.

"It's almost sad to see it go."

Emerald kicked the man in the shins for disturbing the silence, and Torchwick bit his tongue to keep from crying out, lest he disturb his superior even more. But Cinder herself did not seem mind the incident, and was intently focused on the retreating form of the Atlesian vessel stolen from the gullible Winter Schnee as it steadily made its way to its predetermined target. The two in the back could see only the woman's chilling smile reflected in the reinforced glass windshield.

"Come now, Roman, this is a great occasion. Cause for celebration." Her plan was finally reaching fruition.

The man looked skeptical. In all his life, he had only ever dreamed of pulling off heists as big as the one he achieved tonight. And now he was watching his crowning achievement in the moments before it was destroyed. This woman who his life was now under had no reservations, no restrictions. She was not shackled to the end goal of garnering wealth, or even fame. This altruistic mentality was scary, he would not hesitate to admit that the woman frightened him. Here was someone without limits, who could do anything. And she was just about to.

"What about Mercury?"

The small voice stirred Torchwick and he turned to the ship's other passenger. She looked curious, and just a little nervous at the answer she might get. She had not gotten along well with the other minion of Cinder, but as far as they knew, he would be in the line of fire if they did not extract him. She might have put on an air of callousness, but it was not her to so easily toss away a comrade, even if she did not get along with the boy. Also, if he could be so easily dispensable, did that mean that she was too?

Roman huffed and looked away, not wanting to meet the girl's eyes when she was told the truth. He knew the boy was expendable. They all were. He held no illusions about that. He might not have had big aspirations, but he wanted to live. He was a fighter, and scrap tooth and nail to keep on living. Recognizing one's place was the first step to that.

"Small sacrifices have to be made."

The smile etched on the window never vanished as the fading lights of the ship in the distance got ever closer to the other luminous body, its silhouette black against the evening blue backdrop sprinkled with stars just now starting to appear out of the coming night.

"Come on, let's go see if Neo is finished yet."

The ship slowly swung away from the approaching catastrophe, and back towards the beacon in the night, the place containing the grail for which they had been in search for all this time.

* * *

"Small sacrifices have to be made, huh?"

He laid his hand on the cold glass, frosted over from the inside from which only the silent and unburdened visage of the woman who lay encased was visible. She looked dead already, her breath hardly noticeable in the dim light of the cavern. He did not know why he was compelled to come here over and over again, especially now. It was a tortuous experience, and perhaps some part of him hoped that by feeling bad, that would somehow exonerate him some of his sins.

The rational part of him though held no such disillusionment.

Those small sacrifices were never small. Nor were they ever his own. He would be their pallbearer keeping them alive as long as he himself walked this earth, even if the weight of his guilt threatened to crush him time and time again.

He often second guessed himself, but seemed to do so more and more increasingly with each passing year, each day gone by. He had sworn it off long ago, but now the vice was back full force. It had arrived with the two youths one day not so long ago. Their sudden and inexplicable appearance had portended a cataclysmic shift, something so profound that it could change the course of their history that was sure to come.

War was on the horizon. It had always been there, looming like the hand of death, but never more so than recently. Discontent and turmoil were its fuel and now all that was left was the spark. Was it wrong to assume that the two who seemed to be sent by the gods could help them? Was it so wrong to hope that they could change the course of history.

It seemed that the answer was yes. In this increasingly darkening night, though they themselves seemed to thrive in the shadows hope seemed all too precious a commodity. What right did he have to hoard it? He had hoped for so long to be able to find a peaceful solution, now all he wanted to do was minimize the death toll.

Ozpin sighed and glanced one more time at the catatonic embodiment of a woman he had come to love. He had loved all the seasons, each of their hosts and the promise they represented. He devoted himself to their furtherment and protection for as long as he could remember. How could one not grow to love what one wishes to protect? And each time they died, his heart broke a little bit more. When the two had come, it seemed to be a break in the repetitive cycle of death, decay and rebirth. He had dared to hope that it was portentous of the end.

At best, their arrival was a stone tossed in after the first, a second pattern of ripples meeting the ones propagating out from the center and altering their course forever. But what would come from it, only time would tell. And it seemed time was just about up.

He broke himself away from the image of the dead woman, the sight of another one of his failures, but he could not yet compose himself to face the others.

He knew he was probably deluding himself even in this assumption. Likeliest, and at worst, they were probably no more than grains of sand to that vast lake. Their impact on the surface would make no difference, and they would soon sink to the bottom, saturated with the world's weight.

He should leave. He should be able to pry himself from his self-absorption and return to the surface, pull the two youths out before it was too late for them. Their sacrifices would be for nothing, and it would be all the more tragic for their innocence in all of this mess. It had been he who had sought to use them, to dare to hope that they might be able to change things, for the better.

But he couldn't. He could not bring himself to leave that mausoleum and face the two of them. He could not face them knowing that he might not be able to make good on his promise. He was not sure how likely it was that they would all survive the coming storm, and in that storm's wake, would there be enough left to pick up the pieces? He had banked on their changing things when he had said he could send them home. He dared even to believe himself.

It wasn't too late, though. He could go up there and change things himself. He would perish, but that truly would be a small sacrifice to make for the greater good.

But he didn't move from the tomb of his own making.

* * *

It had felt like hours, though surely it was only a matter of minute that they waited. But each minute Sasuke struggled to ignore the thought that each minute they sat there not moving was another minute for their targets to get out of range. They did not even have the benefit of an Inuzuka tracker, or someone with similar abilities. At least none that he was aware of.

That also begged the question of what they would do should they ever catch up to Cinder and her cohorts. It was clear to him that even with Naruto and him together again, they still had very little chance of defeating all of them. It was at this time that he wished he knew more about their benefactor and his abilities. If Goodwitch was anything to go by, his status as headmaster was not just for show, and he would certainly be a useful asset in taking the woman down.

So why didn't he?

He was a ninja, one used to serving without question and in the shadows, but even he was beginning to wonder what sort of games they were playing. It seemed fairly clear to him, that even with this woman and the support afforded by the White Fang, it would be a simple matter for Ozpin's forces, with or without the Atlesian armada he seemed to have in his back pocket, to wipe this threat off the face of the Earth.

He let out a sigh involuntarily, and saw his female companion sitting across from him sneak a peek out from a half-lidded eye. He knew it was probably the right decision to extract themselves from the tacit contract they had formed, even if it meant forgoing any chance they had at returning for the time being. Things were just getting too complicated, and he was too little informed for his liking. Poor information got people killed.

He almost regretted bringing the other woman into it. It was done almost on a whim, though there were many good reasons for informing her. She already knew some of what they represented, and he hadn't wanted her to get the wrong idea. Additionally, if anyone should have a say in the direction of the world, it should be its citizens. What say did they have as outsiders? Though they still did not have a certainty of going home, they still were not of this world, and so what right did they have to dictate what happened to it?

He kept telling himself this. Telling himself that neither his partner in misfortune, and especially not him had formed any real bonds with the denizens of this universe. It was done so that when the time came for them to leave, he could do so as he did before. Telling himself that he was not bound by those paltry ties that meant so much less than those of blood. He would keep telling himself this, but was scared all the same. This time, there would be no curse seal to contradict him.

He saw the woman's cat ears twitch moments before he heard the noise himself. He swiftly shot up to his feet at the sound of approaching footsteps, hurriedly approaching them from the left. He saw his impromptu partner also shoot her feet underneath her, remaining in a defensive crouch with one hand on her weapon. Sasuke was not too worried, but he did likewise.

They were both relieved when the second-time familiar blond rounded the corner and waved out to them even before he got within talking distance. He ran straight up to them and stopped huffing. Clearly, he had been going all out to relocate them from his scrambled memories. They wanted to wait until he had caught his breath a bit more, but the boy was determined to be appraised of the situation as fast as possible. Sasuke respected it and briefed him as best he could.

Naruto filled them in on the scant few details they had missed since he had awoken, but apologized for not being able to tell them anything more. He was however, able to sort through the rest of his clone's memories on the run over, and knew where Goodwitch was.

"I couldn't find Ozpin though." Naruto said with a decided frown. The man's absence was disconcerting to say the least.

"He might still be at Beacon." Blake made this suggestion, but they all found it somewhat unlikely, or at least odd. The two of them remembered the hidden chamber underground and shared a look, but did not reveal anything to the member of team RWBY. She thought she noticed a slight look passing between the two, but took it at face value, assuming they were just a little bit closer to the man than she.

"Oh!" Naruto lit up as he remembered another detail. "I saw- I mean, some of my clones saw Ruby. She was combing the halls looking for us."

"Great." Sasuke grimaced. "It's nice to know she cares, but we really can't have her slowing us down right now. We have to get to Goodwitch with the information and see if we can't get her to provide us a chase vehicle." And a pilot would be nice too, though he did not mention it. Their chances already seemed astronomical as it was. He turned his attention to the girl's teammate.

"Blake, do you think if we run into her on the way that you could take care of her?"

The woman did not look to happy about the situation. It would mean that she would be stuck with Ruby while the two of them went off to finish what they had started. She would be left alone in the dark again with her worries and foul scenarios playing out in her head while she sat there in worry, feigning interest in the matches. She eventually relented though, and with a sigh wiped the displeasure off her face.

"Fine. But when you get back, you have to promise to tell me everything." She met the boy's eyes, amber and onyx sharing a moment of entanglement where mutual promises were exchanged. Sasuke nodded, and Naruto looked between the two of them, somewhat lost as to the depth of what was going on, but certainly aware of the gravity if it involved telling someone who they were. He trusted his comrade to make that judgment though, and merely waited for Sasuke's acknowledgment as he turned to him, and the three of them sped off, following Naruto's lead down the hallway, and hopefully to some semblance of order when they found the assistant headmistress.

* * *

Ruby stopped and rested her hands on her knees, breathing heavy from the prolonged use of her semblance. Though she had been training almost constantly for the last week to improve her stamina while using it, she still did not want to push beyond her limits now. If she needed it later when she found who she was looking for, she did not want to be caught flat footed.

She wondered at the intelligence of running around aimlessly as it was. She was probably just as likely to find them in this labyrinth of passages if she just stayed put. But once again, her restless nature demanded movement to solve her dilemmas. If she just stood there, she would be wrought with worry for her friends and the feeling of helplessness would become debilitating. On the other hand, she was not sure how much longer she could keep this up.

Once her breath returned to her, she started walking down the hallway in the same direction she had previously sped, slow paces taking her nowhere fast, but allowing her time to stop and think. Something that she had been doing a lot more lately, though she was sure her partner wished she had done it before when she was working on schoolwork!

Why was she running around in the first place? All of her friends were capable on their own. She really had no reason to worry about them. Sure, Naruto had been acting very strangely lately, and so had Blake, and Sasuke…. Well, she still didn't know what to make of the boy entirely. He was like a less-talkative Weiss. But still, she felt that he was a good person. He had taken time to talk to her about her leadership of team RWBY, and then there was also Jaune whom they had all but adopted.

But who were they?

She still could not answer this. Not that she could answer if asked the same question about herself, but there was just something different about the two of them. It was not just that they were even younger than she, but that did not help their case. It was the way the acted, sometimes acting their age very much, and at others showing maturity associated with decisions that would normally only be concerns for people twice their age. They were also furtive when it came to talking about themselves. They were willing to describe where they had grown up, and certain details, but obfuscated others. Especially about **where** exactly their home was.

And then there was the matter of Sasuke telling her that he tried to kill Naruto once. She was not sure how to take it even now, but had been under the assumption that it was a figure of speech, though even she was not naïve enough to believe that. Even if it had been on purpose, there must have been some other justification for it. But it wasn't the act or telling her that was odd. It was that the confession was just a fact that he stated. It wasn't in passing as if to be dismissed, but neither did he seem to consider it an especially grievous offense, though he could tell that she was effected by it.

Naruto himself never mentioned the incident. Though it still reminded her of the other night she spent in the same hospital room as him and her sister. The faintest of scars visible just above where his heart should be, a ghost mocking her for her innocence. She knew what it meant, even without any other visible scars on his body, that one spoke the truth of Sasuke's statement and spelled a very morbid picture.

Death was something they all had to face, sooner or later, and often times sooner in their profession. But never would she have thought that things could be so bad that two people would try their best to kill one another. And despite that, Naruto stood as testament against that notion. They both acted as if it were not such a damning crime. It did not even seem to warrant attention to the blond. How could he be so upbeat all the time even after facing death?

When her mother died, it had been the worst time in her life. She cried with her sister and father for days on end. And she did not even see it happen. Death came in a letter. One moment her mother was there, and the next, she wasn't. She had been young, but it hadn't dulled the hurt that she carried even now. What would happen confronting death face to face?

Maybe it would break her. Something seemed to happen to her friend after nearly killing someone himself. She had seen how he lost control on the arena floor. There had been a moment when he lost himself to instinct and hate, but managed to pull himself back from the abyss at the last moment. But he had not some out unscathed. He had been unresponsive for what seemed like hours afterwards. When looking at how her mother's death affected her, she supposed that for a life changing event such as that it was a relatively short amount of time.

But then when he woke from his trance, he had gone careening off in search of his partner and hers, presumably, without saying a word more about why he was in such a hurry. Clearly, it was something important, and if it was dire enough for a man to tear himself from an existential crisis, she wanted to be in the know. It wasn't just her partner she was concerned for.

She treasured all of the friends she had made since coming to Beacon. Her team, team JNPR, even their quirky teachers, and of course Naruto and Sasuke. Though she would admit, she held stronger bonds to some of them more than others, Naruto in particular held a place in her life that she could not qualify. He was a friend, a dear friend. That was why it hurt so much when he had to lie to her. But it was because she felt him to be so close that she had no choice but to forgive him. Was that how Naruto felt about Sasuke?

What was more than a friendship that could survive an attempt on your life? She hoped she never found out, but at the same time, she felt almost as if that had already happened. The damage had been done, and they had patched it over for the time being. She could not doubt his fealty when he came to save her life. But now, now it needed more studious mending. When the tournament was over, they would need to sit down, all of them if need be, and set some things strait. Only then would the hurt be truly mended.

She was staring despondently at her feet, placing them placidly one after the other when she heard disjointed echoes joining the gentle tapping of her own boots on the hard floor. She blinked and looked up, and in the darkness made out a trifecta of outlines materializing from the distant darkness and brightened immediately upon seeing the familiar forms. Even at the fair distance and poor lighting, she could clearly see the red and violet garb of the two smaller figures, and the taller black individual near the back.

She regained some of her energy and immediately sped towards them waving and yelling out their names. Things finally seemed like they were going to be okay. They would be able to resolve things sooner than she could have hoped, and then they all could return to the school, and everything would return to normal.

"Naruto! Blake! Sasuke! Hey you guys! Over He-"

The world went black and sideways.

* * *

Anomalous.

Her opponent dodged sidewise, but yet again it should not have been enough for her to be fully out of the range of her attack. She was having issues controlling the blades' trajectories. She would have to run a diagnostic when the match was over.

She greatly admired her counterpart's combat abilities. Despite being entirely organic, she displayed great aptitude for both precision and accuracy in her strikes. She also illustrated advanced tactical thinking, able to assess the situation and attempt to turn the fight to best utilize her strengths, and downplay her weaknesses, and even those she managed to hide quite efficiently.

Admiration. Excitement. That was what she thought she was feeling, anyway. Was that why she was smiling? Was this a normal response to this sort of situation? The gesture was a deeply encoded part of her programming, a routine she had minimal access to so she had a hard time delving down to ascertain those answers. It was such a foreign experience to her. Her other fights had not elicited this sort of response in her. Training was a necessity. Coming to her friend Ruby's defense at the docks had been a necessity, though left her with a greater sense of satisfaction at the end.

Fighting for a friend caused good feelings. Would fighting with good feelings cause a friend? She hoped so. It was hard to interpret human emotions, but she thought she understood the other woman to be enjoying herself as well. The diffraction of light in her eyes had altered slightly since before the start of the match. This indicated a shift in mood. She did not seem to be upset, though it was clear she was straining her body's limits.

She herself was also pushing boundaries she had seldom neared. The fight had been at a stalemate for some time, neither of them able to surmount the other's defense, though approximately 3 minutes ago she had started to notice an increase in the margin of error for her strikes. Clearly, she needed maintenance, and if it continued to degrade in this manner, she might actually lose.

Novel thought. A scary thought.

But it wasn't fear that caused her to dodge the spear as it returned to its owner in u-shaped arc, almost as if it too had nigh-invisible wires to guide it. Self-preservation was a basic sub-routine, but she dodged because she had sensed it coming, if only barely.

Ah. That was it. Her opponent had the ability to control polarity. That was very dangerous for her. Why had she not used it more extensively until now? Her inner functions may have been shielded from magnetic pulses, but she could do very little to prevent her body from being manipulated should she choose to do so. Clearly the other woman did not know she was an android. In fact, could she even call herself 'herself'? It was the pronoun her programming assigned her, but did she think of herself as female? Did it even matter.

Yes. She thought so.

But those thoughts had to be postponed to free up computing power for the match which once again took the chance to increase in intensity. She once again brought her array of blades back to her side, arranged behind her like a peacock's tail as the former champion deftly caught her weapon and regarded her warily.

She could no longer rely on long range attacks to strike where she wanted them. Though she was more adept with her weapons array when used at a distance, she would have to engage the other girl up close, where she would have the advantage. She did not know Penny was able to be affected by her polarity, but her body was still faster and almost as strong as her own. She would have to overwhelm her.

About half of her blades folded behind her, allowing the six remaining ones more room to maneuver. The middle pair she grasped in her own hands, though it was hardly necessary, it would allow her to apply greater strength to the attacks. She attacked Pyrrha without mercy.

She was a Brahman. Neither male nor female, six-armed god of life, death and resurrection. God of the dance as she struck at the woman cowering behind her shield and all but unable to surmount the hail of strikes descending upon her like hammers. But she did. Her shield was thrust forward, and she too spun into the dangerous dance, blocking two blades at a time with her own, never wavering under the combined weight of a freight train crashing down on each blow.

How was she not fatigued? Her body should be at the limit now-beyond in fact. She did not show it. Her breathing was as regulated as her own pneumatic systems. Organic saline coolant sloughed off her brow and body, but did not hinder her grip on her blade nor shield. Her focus was all on her.

But Penny's focus was not entirely on Pyrrha. Above the droning roar of the crowd, and underneath the clang of dust-enhanced steel, there was a low and familiar hum. With all the interference, it was hard to pinpoint its origin at first, but being raised in Atlas, it was an eventuality that she would recognize the dissonant throbbing of dust engines arranged in parallel triangular arrays of an Altisian cruiser.

Anomalous.

There were no more cruisers supposed to be patrolling over the Vale skyline since the General had recalled them several weeks prior. And certainly none close enough to the arena to be audible while at patrolling speeds.

But the engine output was more than patrolling speeds. And it was getting louder.

She stopped to process this new information. It was against all her other built-in instincts to stop like that mid-combat, but other neuro-links in her mind were coming online like electrons 'spinning' in and out of existence at alarming rates which soon caused a traffic jam in her processing. She couldn't cope with all the stimuli, and determining her body was not in any serious danger, the processing power to control the blades was diverted elsewhere.

Seconds after the fact, she registered a gasp.

After a brief lag, she recognized that the tip of a spear was firmly housed in her torso, and the rest of the world stopped as cold as she had. The redhead froze in a logic-loop, mouth agape and the crowd had gone silent. Good. That made processing easier. Files linked and information stored away was dredged up as the final calculations were completed.

She blinked. Turned to look at the other woman, noted her expression was horrified. She was about to say something.

"I'm so sor-"

"Pyrrha. Please remove your spear and brace yourself."

The other woman had already begun retracting her blade when Penny kneeled and lodged her two blades firmly into the arena floor, two others tying her down even more securely. And before the other woman could catch on to what was going on- she may have had very quick reactions to fight scenarios, but Penny found in general that humans had very slow feedbacks to new information- she lashed her last two deployed blades around the waist of the gaping redhead before fastening those two into the ground.

She looked like she was about to protest. But being nearly fixed in place as she was, when the whole stadium suddenly jerked, she fell to her hands and knees. Her stomach leaped into her throat and for a split second she was physically, as well as mentally disoriented.

There was a huge crash accompanying the jerk. Steel squealed and the thunderous crack of a rockfall echoed over the screams of the spectators. Cries of shock and dismay washed over the two in the center before they rocked back to a stop. Or nearly so. There was a brief moment where only a handful of indignant voices penetrated the grave silence.

Slowly, inevitably, they started to list.


	26. Panic so Charming

**Ok, this took way too long to get up. I admit it. I'd apologize but...why? Well, mainly because this has actually been done for a few days, I just haven't uploaded it, so I apologize to my work for languishing in cyberspace while I twiddled my thumbs. I wanted to release this and the next chapter as a two-part. But as of now, I am 10,000 words into the next chapter, and can't really see a good stopping point, so I am going to stretch this out into at least three parts it seems.**

 **Yay?**

 **Another reason this was so hard to push out is because I have been swamped by schoolwork lately. Not like I don't have time to do both, plus to be honest, I should probably spend more time on it than this. Something about completing college getting a degree, job, those things. Yeah, not likely. But the schoolwork gets my mind into a totally different organization, a different language if you will. Some of you might notice this in a return to more descriptive language. I tried to curtail that when I could, but some of it has doubtlessly made it past scrutiny. So, sorry about that, but honestly, some of it is intentional. This is where things get dark in the RWBY universe, so it conveys to me a certain mood of profundity. Profound words don't always have to be fanciful, but for a novice like myself, they are a decent crutch.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy none the less. If you don't review, I won't know.**

 **Off to serve my sentence. See you in 15 to 20.**

 **P.S. Out of curiosity, does anyone else absolutely LOVE the soundtrack to RWBY? Seriously, kudos to them for actually getting some musical talent in there.**

* * *

It was the shock of hitting the water like a stone, bones rattling in flesh like seeds in an empty gourd. She was weightless, drowning and unable to breath, and then rising, perilously, inevitably on the crest of a mountainous wave. The screams of thousands were the cacophony of the storm howling all around, and she was numb to all of it.

It must have been a dream, she was still unable to move even as the world tilted around her. Her opponent still stood there, nonplussed and not bleeding, even as the hem of the ragged hole in her blouse fluttered in the suffocating breeze. The two looked at each other, mirrored emerald cascading off into a bottomless eternity.

It was surreally slow, the way the entire stadium was sinking. But it was terrifying all the same with its inevitability. She felt chained, unable to do anything or even move. This could not be happening. And then, as if her internal denial was a cry to whatever gods were listening, the floor stopped its subsidence at an uncomfortable but manageable angle. But the sinking feeling remained even after the ground itself seemed to settle, and the masses of crowds still writhed in unrestrained panic like a colony of ants subjected to the cruel whims of a schoolboy trying to play god.

As the wires binding her retracted, reality caught up with her, and she was glad she had already taken a knee, otherwise she would have toppled over from the sudden unsteadiness that accompanied the shift in perpendicularity. She wobbled, trying to stand and not slip on the tiles which thankfully were not as smooth as they looked. She found her footing, practiced muscles reawakening. But he sinking feeling remained.

It was disorienting, looking down at her own feet, and seeing the tiny tumbleweeds of dust go skittering across the floor towards the tawny-haired young woman, guided by that incessant and intangible breeze.

'Down.'

Her mind corrected her as she rose to her full height, now truly towering over her much shorter opponent who stood on the downslope of the now less than true surface. She wondered what her own expression must look like, as she watched the strange other woman dart her head around with a stony, yet unafraid expression, callously addressing this strangest of phenomena. It seemed to Pyrrha, that her strangeness was oddly well suited for their current predicament. When the rules of reality themselves disintegrated around you, what after all was there to fear?

But he sinking feeling remained.

As did the roar of spectators equally lost, but unequally equipped to come to terms with the current predicament.

"What's going on?"

Pyrrha felt herself ask in a voice that she herself could barely hear above the torrent. Still, Penny heard her it seemed, as though she never stopped glancing around, accumulating datum invisible to the redhead woman, she answered her in a voice steadier than the ground beneath them.

"I believe we have been hit."

Verdant eyes blinked, trying to parse out this strange assemblage of words.

"Hit? By what?"

"An Atlesian cruiser most likely."

The unreal response of a twisted dream.

"A cruiser?"

"Correct."

She had to break the dream. Logic must prevail.

"What is an Atlesian cruiser doing out here? They were all supposed to be far away from central Vale."

"Unknown." Though this hardly betrayed the surety in her voice.

"Was it deliberate? Is it an attack? What would Atlas be doing attacking Amity Coliseum?"

"Unknown."

The pit in her stomach clenched further as the dreamlike haze receded and a gut-wrenching horror of reality began to seep in with each question. There was still no way it could be true, but with each passing moment, each subsequent breath drew in and the details of a hellish reality seeped in. The sulfuric smell of smoldering fuel, hot enough to burn steel, the reverberation of the chaotic cries echoing all around her, the stray ash catching in the cooler air of the arena and falling like snow from the cloud of soot wafting overhead and blocking out the stars.

This was no dream. It was a nightmare.

"What-"

Before whatever question her body was about demand was cut off by the insistent tone of the other woman.

"I believe we need to help out the citizens. They should be secured before we touch down. I am sorry, but I think it would be wise to end the match early."

Pyrrha almost smiled at the addendum. She truly had been enjoying herself in the match, but the previous words came back like a fishhook.

"What do you mean 'touch down'?"

The other woman blinked at her, for the first time with the barest hint of confusion.

"The cruiser is still imbedded in the structure. We are too heavy for the repulser-engines to keep us aloft. We are going to crash land."

She was sure that her face must have drained of color as even in the smoky haze her blood began to run cold. The continuance of the sinking feeling became all too clear and a mix of adrenaline and fear made her shake uncharacteristically and uncontrollably. In none of any of her previous mock-battles had she felt a feeling such as this. This was reality catching up with her all at once and the mortality of her as well as thousands of others now rested heavy on her shoulders. Even as her body felt lighter, everything began feeling heavier and heavier, her shield and spear each pulled at her shoulders and every strained muscle suddenly became unbearable. She swallowed and wetted her parched lips, tasting charcoal.

"Where?"

"Unknown."

* * *

"Where…?"

She sat up in darkness, clutching her head. At least, she tried to. All was lost in this impenetrable darkness, and her head still swirled, the eye of the storm the throbbing bump beginning to form on the spot under her soothing hand. She did not know where she was. She could not remember what happened. Hell, she could not even tell which way was up! Everything was angles, cold and rough, and all in the wrong places.

Was this a dream?

"Ruby!"

Naruto? It was impossible to mistake his voice even in the abject darkness, and even had she not heard the assuaging call, she could tell immediately that it was the blond young man who hovered over her in the murk, calloused hand steadying her shoulder as she wobbled into a sitting position. Though there was no light, he gave off a tangible glow that was unlike any other she had ever met. It was if his Aura was visible, external and projecting, encompassing everything near it in a sphere of his perspicacity. She suddenly felt a good deal calmer.

"Naruto? Is that you?"

She could feel his relieved smile without having to see it.

"Yeah, it's me." Relief was evident in his voice. "Are you alright?" He asked, concern once again prickling through.

"I think so…" The swirling blackness around her was indeed steadying, at least as far as she could tell. And even the bump above her right temple was diminishing, the pulsating sting having become but a dull throb. Still, she was almost glad it was dark, she was sure to have an angry red bump marring her cute face and she did not want her friends to see her like that. As the world settled, her thoughts lingered on the surface of the sediments.

"Wait, Blake and Sasuke were here too. Are they alright?"

"We're fine."

Ruby could easily recognize the feminine drawl of her teammate, with only a slight twinge betraying having been ruffled by the sudden scenery change. She could feel the other two sets of eyes fixated on her, even in the abject lack of light. At least two of their party seemed unhindered by the darkness and Ruby thought she could even see the twin pairs of amber and ember suspended inexplicably in the black backdrop.

She sighed, relieved at least to be united finally. But she was still rattled and disoriented. The wall she was propped up against was still not perpendicular with gravity, and it begged the question of whether or not it was just her.

"What happened?"

She could feel the slight swish of air as the blond supporting her shook his head.

"We don't know." But he strongly suspected he knew who happened. He did not say it, but it lingered there all the same, the three within the loop having reached the same conclusion as the first sign of something amiss.

"We likely lost power, at least in this section." The disembodied voice of her dark-haired teammate chipped in. That would explain the lack of lights at least. And why they were not currently flat as Nora's pancakes on a concrete frying pan. Where were they again? Oh yeah, in one of the plethora of passageways that crisscrossed the interior of the stadium like a less translucent ant farm.

"Well, I suppose we should try to make our way out of here some time. Sooner, rather than later." The last voice she had yet to hear spoke up, offering his advice. It was a sound course of action, but an obvious problem still stood in between them and their egress. Two of them seemed able to guide them well enough, but Ruby was still having trouble finding her footing in the dark and uneven terrain.

"I think I may have hit my head pretty hard." She confessed while trying to stand, the reliably strong arms of her friend cautiously trying to keep her balance. "Everything feels slanted."

"It's not just you."

"We are tilting." Naruto elaborated for her, and in the proximity of his voice she could feel his consternation and tried to picture his furrowed brow. She couldn't, the tone and expression was much too grave for the cheerful boy. This frightened her, even as she was reassured that she had not damaged too many neurons when she collided with the unyielding wall of the passage.

"So how do we get out of here?"

"We'll guide you out." Blake assured her, gesturing she was sure to the more than usual recalcitrant Sasuke. Naruto grunted in affirmation beside her, hooking her arm around his stout neck, and securing his other one around her waist, partly hoisting her up from his higher position closer to the center of the hallway. How he was able to find his footing in this canted and impenetrable darkness she could not fathom, though at the moment was partly grateful for to conceal the blossoming warmth throughout her cheeks. Whether it was from the discomfiture at having to be helped like an invalid, or the almost intimate proximity of the young man, she was not sure.

"Right." Ruby felt the other two forms shift around near silently, their presences enclosing the two of them in a protective sphere. "Let's get going. Just let us guide you."

They made rather swift progress despite not being able to see anything in front of them. Ruby stumbled occasionally, much to her chagrin. She realized that they would have made even faster progress if not for her. Still, even in the darkness and glowing warmth of the sturdy body pressed against her, she could feel the cold chill of apprehension encircling them. It seemed that no matter how fast they were going, it was too slow.

Far in the distance she began to see the horizon of light peaking tentatively out around the corner. She blinked, and disoriented for a moment, saw shadows of people dancing in the growing glow and felt that these strange scarecrows on the cement wall were their own. These monstrous and frantic skeletal figures were them, flailing aimlessly in the darkness. But just as quickly, the flash of surreal went away, banished by the light of reason. There was no light behind them, so those shadows could not be their own.

But even as they grew closer and she could once again see her own hands in front of her face, the feeling of dislocation lingered. Even as the blinding light bathed them and disappointingly, the young man eased his steadying arms off of her slender frame once she could see where she was putting her feet again, the niggling sense betrayed her.

She looked at the waxen faces of her comrades, solemn marble statues cast in the fractured light. Were they, was anything that had happened until now any more real, or was it all just shadows on the wall?

* * *

He was flinching at shadows and tilting at windmills. But for a man who dwelled in a world where fairytales were the truth and everything else extraneous obfuscation, it was prudent, every now and then to be wary. Even paranoid schizophrenics have enemies.

But he was alone here. Or, at least the only one aware.

Ozpin sighed, still unable to pull himself away from the husk of the woman who they were hanging on to with barbed hooks, trying to keep her within the realm of the living. Every time he turned to leave, duties of the real-world beckoning, urging him to move past this latest in a series of failures, he found he could not. He was trapped in her world of not-death just as she was trapped in their world of not-life. Hours had passed, so many that he had lost track. He would spend all day here if Glynda would let him.

The thought of another living person, of his most trustworthy assistant, breached the murky surface of his drowned thoughts and like a gasp for air, he struggled to find sense in the feeling of foreboding he got when he thought her name.

Steely eyes flashed to his slender wristwatch, archaic but finely tuned mechanism willing the slender fingers to the eight and three. Incredulity. Had he really passed the entire day and a good portion of the evening whiling away his hours in front of an unresponsive corpse? How had Glynda allowed him to be so negligent. She was taking care of most of the duties associated with the festival, as she always had, leaving him mostly to his own vices. But to hear nothing from her was…. Unusual to say the least.

And in their world, unusual things seldom portended coincidence. The icy fist gripped over his heart and he spun on his heel, smooth-soled leather shoes clicking lightly as he found himself swiftly exiting the catacomb. His knuckles turned white as he gripped his cane, and the barest grimace involuntarily wrinkled the corners of his mouth. He crossed the length of the column-studded palisade in a blur of motion, and upon arriving at the end, jabbed an impatient thumb at the elevator button, cracking the hardened plastic slightly.

The doors whisked open and he threw himself into the car, but before he could punch the button to accelerate the lift back to the ground floor, his scroll let off a sudden and piercing tweet that made his heart skip a beat. But once it regained its normal tattoo, he felt an immediate relief, pulling out the offending device to see that he had one new message, and to his relief it was from Glynda.

He tapped the screen to read the latest update, hoping that none of their cute little students were causing too much trouble. He took the message in one gulp, and nearly choked. The hammered silver and ironwood cane fell uncaringly from his grip and clattered onto the elevator floor, cracking the delicately laid tile and marring the polished hilt.

He didn't care.

He hit the button, breaking it assuredly this time, but activating it all the same.

He couldn't go fast enough.

* * *

They couldn't go fast enough. There was a sea of frantic civilians flitting and scrambling in a mad dash to leave their seats and push their way to the scant few hallways which lead to an exit. Even those who managed to force themselves through the throngs, trickle their way through the hourglass of human sand all trying to fit through the same hole, where would they go from there? There were only so few transports, and they could not evacuate everyone. There were no emergency measures in place for an event such as this. No one could have predicted something like this.

They tried to insert themselves between the desperate and writhing masses and the exits. But it was to no avail. They had all gotten there too late, and a handful of well-intentioned students could do only so much against an onslaught of thousands. The situation was out of hand well before they knew what was happening, and could do anything to stop it.

"Everyone! Calm down! Haven, Mistral, Shade, anyone with half a brain, stop everybody from trying to leave and get them back into their seats! They are causing the whole thing to tilt even more!"

Yang screamed out over the cacophony, her fiery voice barley reaching the awestruck students who none the less leapt to her assertive command. She was right, of course, but again, it was too little too late. Scores of spectators had already leapt into action, the fight or flight response so much more in command in their instinct driven alarm. Assessing the situation had taken a split second the students did not have, and no they were all at the mercy of a pack of frightened rabbits.

Not to dismiss the courageous rabbit-Faunus who had daringly inserted herself between a determined group of civilians and their mutual demise even before the order had completely left the blonde's lips. No matter how large she projected herself however, she was in danger of getting swallowed whole by the frantic mob. Luckily her teammates were almost as swift on the uptake, and the towering form of Yatsuhashi made for an excellent damn to stem the flow of panicking peoples.

"Everyone! Calm down! Please, get back to your seats! You are going to hurt yourself if you are standing up when we impact!"

But reason had long since fled the common folk driven only by a shared priority of individual survival.

"Get out of our way! We need to leave now! Why are you blocking us?!" An irate man screamed in the poor shy woman's face and she flinched at the cocktail of fear and vitriol in the deep voice of the bearded individual. He grabbed the collar of her shirt but had to quickly let go as an even more incensed Coco nearly broke the offending appendage and pushed her way between the two.

As the man nursed his bruised joint and glared wild and partly crazed eyes at the stern woman, a sobbing Faunus mother cradling her wailing infant with two faun-colored dog ears poking above his auburn tuft of hair pushed herself upon Coco, grasping desperately at her designer jacket.

"Please! Miss, let me through! I have to save my baby!"

Coco battled through the guilt and tried her best to keep her stony face as she shook her head.

"I can't let you through. There aren't enough transports for everyone, and everyone should be fine if they stay in their seats. We are descending, but we are not falling." She did no need to include the fact that there probably were no transports at all, the bullhead pilots either having taken off immediately at the first sign of danger, or not even having a chance to get to their craft. She did not even want to admit to herself, that even though theirs was a controlled crash, the combine weight of the stadium and whatever craft and hit them overloading the delicate balance of the supporting engines, they might not survive unscathed. They were massive, and had no way to stop. But it was worth a shot.

"Please!" The woman begged, not hearing or not caring for the consoling words offered by the huntress. "At least take my child!" She thrust the dog-eared child at the stunned woman, who could only stand there agape with her arms spread defensively. She moved to press the crying infant back into her mother's bosom, but soon found herself in charge of the precious bundle. "Wait!" She protested, trying to hand back the baby to the inconsolable mother, but another frantic individual inserted his lanky form in between the two, cutting her off mid-sentence.

Coco retreated from the garbled words of the pale-faced youth, hugging the distraught child to her breast, while her red-skinned teammate mutely took up the slack and placed himself between his team leader and the throngs of screams. She looked down gob smacked at the child, letting her sunglasses slide to the end of her nose. She thought that she could deal with the chaos and panic, but this, this was something she had absolutely no idea how to handle.

The child wailed onward while she stood there holding it like she had just been handed an explosive.

"Here, let me." Her shy teammate took the crying child from her grasp before she knew what was happening, and the rabbit-Faunus wrapped her arms protectively around the child, bouncing the boy slightly and cooing softly. Coco could just make out the peak hum of a lullaby being uttered above the mad cry all around them. Her ocher eyes softened at the maternal sight, despite the quite dire situation they were in. If only she could do the same thing for the hundreds of equally frantic people swarming them.

None of the other students rushing to fulfill the blonde boxer's command had it any easier. People everywhere were desperate to leave, and some decided to try and take matters into their own hands, however foolishly, and attacked a handful of the hunters in training. The most difficult thing was keeping themselves restrained when dealing with the mob. It was easy enough to take care of when it was just one cocky individual, but one outburst soon turned into many and the contention spread like a plague throughout.

They could no more reign in the people than they could prop up the floundering coliseum.

This was the scene presented to the four students who forced themselves against the stream of people trying to make their own exit from the blackened hallway. It was sheer madness that they encountered blinking into the light of the open stadium. Though some of the lights, specifically on their side had gone out, there was still quite a bit on the other side casting their beams across the expanse and letting the entirety of the pandemonium be shown. The feeble starlight was trying to poke through, but was lost in the black haze of ash and ember settling in the open space.

"Hey! There you guys are! What took you so long?" Yang spotted the four, being the closest to their point of exit. "You know what? Never mind! Just make yourself useful and get these people to sit back down!" She yelled over the competition, illustrating her point by forcibly picking up one handsy young male by his collar and tossing him into the nearest folding chair.

"What in the hell is going on?!" Their own blond yelled above the cry of the man who was airborne for longer than he intended to be.

"A ship collided with us, now we are too heavy and the stadium is falling down." The succinct summary was given to them by a harried Ren who rushed past them in chase of Nora who appeared far more amenable to joining in the crowd's bedlam than mitigating it. "We are trying to keep people in their seats. Once we impact, that will be the safest place for them." He yelled over his shoulder as he deflected a torn-off seat being hurled in his direction by the flailing ginger.

"ANARCHY!"

"Nora! Stop that! Calm down and help us out!"

Ruby concurred with the lanky-teen's assessment, rubbing her own head in a not-quite phantom pain. The miss-matched team took a quick glance around, seeing where they were needed most. It seemed they had their job cut out for them. Counter intuitively, they were on the dipping end of the cylinder and most in their panic had fled to the path of least resistance, meaning right towards them. Which not only made their job harder, but exacerbated an already sever unbalance and put added strain on the failing engines.

The four of them shared a concerned look before they darted off to assist their comrades. Naruto paused a beat in his own mad dash, grimacing. He might make the situation worse, but they were clearly fighting a losing battle here already, and something different had to be done. He pressed his fingers into their most familiar position, and with a substantial chunk of his chakra the black smoke was temporarily pushed aside by a competing mass of white vapor. It cleared faster than the smog did, though, and when it was gone it left near a thousand black-clad and armored blondes who leapt into the fray with reckless abandon.

Though Naruto himself was not an imposing person in and of himself, an army of him and his clones clad in his ANBU knock-off uniform, all with identically sever expressions on their face would make the most schooled warrior blanch. The crowd seeing their sudden appearance suddenly had a new and more immediate fear, and as one undulating mass seemed to back off from the frazzled huntsmen and huntresses, press-ganged into crowd control. They all breathed a collective sigh of relief at the boy's timely appearance.

But the relief was short lived. Even as the crowd saw the futility of trying to force their way past the veritable wall of grim looking teens and slowly retreated back to either their seats, or another set of passages that was less well guarded, the sudden increase of mass accompanying the blond army evened out some of the progress being made.

"Naruto!" His partner shouted at the troops lined up unflinchingly in front of the most immediate passageways. "That's enough!" They all nodded in an eerie synchronous movement before another white cloud propagated from their huddled groups and quickly dissipated leaving just the one blond next to Ruby and the rest of her teammates guarding the entrance they had exited not minutes before.

Sasuke felt the whole floor bob upwards, relieved of the suddenly added burden, and let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding. They were still listing at an uncomfortable and unsustainable angle, but at least they did not have to contend with the thousands of panicked bodies throwing themselves at the outnumbered hunters and only serving to doom themselves faster.

" _ATTENTION! PLEASE, REMAIN CALM. STAY IN YOUR SEATS AND AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. DO NOT PANIC."_

The collection of teenagers looked up to the announcer's box upon hearing the PA system finally come in to their aid. The Beacon students recognized the voice of their no-nonsense headmistress and felt the burden of responsibility be alleviated slightly.

Still, for all of Glynda Goodwitch's skill and prowess, even she could not halt their excruciatingly slow fall.

* * *

Said woman let go of the glowing red button and turned to her bemused colleagues, catching her breath and brushing back a stubborn lock of blond hair that had come undone from her knot. Oobleck picked himself up off of the floor while brushing off the combination of dust that had fallen from the fractured ceiling and what had accumulated under the consul in the accumulating years of the arena's service. Port shifted back and forth on his feet which strained slightly under his girth. He was uncomfortable, but it had more to do with his current lack of use.

Unbeknown to him, however, Glynda could sympathize. There was little they all could do now but wait.

She turned to the uncharacteristically calm green-haired professor.

"Thank you for fixing that so quickly, Bartholomew." The man nodded in acknowledgment and professor Port took the opportunity to pipe up. "What should we do now, Ms. Goodwitch?"

The blond regarded the storied professor with an almost apologetic look behind her round glasses before composing herself once again. "There is little we can do now." She admitted the truth, for the first time in words. "When the cruiser impacted, it damaged the port engine-hive E6. And with its added weight, there is no way we can use the remaining engines to balance us out, let alone stay aloft. To make matters worse, it managed to take out almost a quarter of the bullhead transports, as well as the Port-side docks."

The two professors grimaced. "So, what you are saying is that we are on a sinking ship with no lifeboats?"

Glynda ruefully nodded. "I have informed Ozpin of the situation, I sent him a text immediately after the impact. He should be sending some emergency vehicles to our eventual impact zone." Wherever that was. They all noticed the lack of specificity, and were collectively praying that the behemoth did not come down on any residential neighborhood. Though they might survive, whatever was underneath them surely would not. But there was still another disturbing thought on all of their minds.

"Who could have done this?"

Indeed, that was the mystery. It was hardly likely for Atlas to be so blatant in an attack, and even if they were against all odds to do so, ramming them with a minimally armed cruiser was hardly the most efficient way to take them out. In fact, it made little sense for any of the four kingdoms, each had countless lives accounted for in the coliseum. This was an indiscriminate attack on all four of them. They just hoped the rest of them saw it that way.

Glynda though had the added burden of specificity. She bit her bottom lip, that nervous tick she could not quite banish from her otherwise practiced poker-face. She tried to bury the guilt which creeped up through her spine. She should have known something was going to happen. She had seen all of the signs, all of the odd and almost subversive behavior of the two boys they had brought into their fold as of late.

She did not even want to contemplate the thought that they could have betrayed them, betrayed her. But actively trying to avoid the thought made it all the more invasive. She tried instead to blame herself, neglecting to see the signs and step in when the two teenagers were clearly in over their heads. She did not let any of these thoughts manifest themselves on her face. She shook her head, hoping the two professors would believe it. She was not sure if it was her place to make them aware, even now.

Both seemed to believe in her credibility, though Oobleck hid his own eyes behind the glare of his glasses, so it was hard to tell. It was hard to tell anything with that man. But he said nothing accusatory to her, and she was grateful. Instead it was she who asked the next question on all of their minds.

"Where are we going to land?"

Land, being the optimal word. They were all hoping it to be within the barren expanse between the city of Vale and Beacon. But although this was quite a massive target, they all held a sickening feeling that their luck would not hold out for that. Oobleck took a single, arching step over to the consul, pressing a few buttons on the hard controls, paused, and pressed a few more when this did not seem to work. Nothing happened still, and with a grunt of frustration, he smacked the misbehaving machine with a closed fist, and suddenly an overhead map of vale painted in garishly abstract colors materialized with a glowing dot which kept buzzing between green and red that represented their coordinates within a given variance. Their original flight path was taking them in a lazy loop around the outskirts of Vale. They had been hit somewhere along the long ark paralleling the coast, and were now headed eastward, towards the interior, but also towards the heart of the city.

All of their breaths hitched upon this realization. But it was not a simple descent that they seemed to be making. They were in a death spiral. Perhaps the widest and slowest death spiral that had ever been seen, but a spiral none the less, with the ending inevitably assured. Though they could not feel it, the blimp of a craft was lazily spinning while lolling off to the East, producing a chaotic black-widows web of a trajectory. It was near impossible to tell where they would come down.

"It looks like we will clear the city." Port offered optimistically, and Oobleck silently nodded, but did not seem to brighten at this admission. Judging by both their rate of descent, and with the speed their own engines combined with the affected tilt of the cruisers was pushing them to the outskirts at a goodly pace. But it was hard to tell. The engines of the cruiser were still burning, causing their predictable path to be skewed. None of them were ready to breathe a sigh of relief just yet.

And worse yet, they could still do nothing but watch their progress on the damaged monitor with thousands of thoughts swirling around in their minds going a mile a minute. Plenty of those focused on addressing this calamity, but the ones that plagued them were the ones that could not be solved, the ones that could not be predicted. And in this most unexpected of events, those thoughts were plentiful and tenacious.

* * *

Even Winter Schnee's most adamant detractors could not deny her most endearing of traits, for whatever else the ofttimes abrasive woman was, if nothing else she was tenacious.

It was with teeth grit and hand clutched to her side pressing on the angry gash rapidly staining her pristine dress crimson with her own lifeblood that she limped down the now all too empty hallway in pursuit of the enigmatic young woman who had been in the company of the infamous criminal Roman Torchwick. Said criminal, who had absconded with her private shuttle craft not half an hour ago, to what end she neither could imagine, nor deigned to with all of her concentration devoted to putting one foot in front of the other, and stemming the iron waterfall trickling down her hip and making her skirt sling to her thigh.

She was not too prideful to admit that it had been more than a lucky shot. The young woman she had faced, while unassuming in stature, had a skill with a sword to rival her own. Not only that, but she had not anticipated the unusual semblance nor the skill with which the woman had utilized the asset. She had cast seamless illusions to augment her own swordplay, a dangerous combination that had caught her off guard.

She doggedly put one foot after the other in steady, if not maddeningly slow progression. Echoed the hollow clicks of her heals, as well as her saber serving as a third leg to dull the snake bite sting every time she stepped with her left leg and jostled the open wound. The tip slipped on the polished surface and her left leg near gave out from underneath her. She slipped and careened into the unrelenting wall with a muted crash, and she bit back the cry of protest from her injury.

She huffed faint clouds of condensation in the cool evening, and once again cursed her position. There was little chance of her catching the young woman. From the start, she had had the advantage. It was all too clear that she, or the whomever she worked for had chosen the battlefield. A confined space where her lithe and diminutive frame would have the advantage, and where there was no chance for her to call any support to help detain the intruders. Additionally, she had never had to fight to win. Her objective was simply to delay Winter and then escape, strike and then meld back into the shadows form whence she appeared.

As she had this very thought, the shadows in front of her shifted, and she tensed. Was she back to finish the job? Winter had no doubt the mute swordswoman had no qualms about finishing off a wounded opponent, but prayed none the less that it was a figment of her imagination stemming from blood loss. Still, she propped herself off of the wall and struggled to raise her sword out in front of her defensively. For what good it may have done, she barely had the strength now to stand on two feet, let alone fend off the miniscule monster given human form. The tip wavered a silver fish swimming in and out of the depths. She knew she had to get to a hospital soon, or at the very least get some immediate medical attention.

She brandished her saber at the approaching figure, whom as it got closer and closer, she could clearly see that it was not her previous opponent, but this thought was of little comfort as the silhouette got bigger and bigger, and very quickly surpassed her in height. Its voluminous garb billowed around it in swirls of shadowy torrents, making it hard to judge its mass. Regardless, with all of the blood she had lost gimping after her fleeing quarry, Winter was not even sure she could hold off a juvenile Boarbatusk, let alone this newest presence.

The figure strayed into the moonlight shining through a gothic arch, and her breath hitched. She ruefully cursed her luck, almost wishing it had been her previous opponent under a guise. But she knew fate was far more fickle and cruel for that to be the case.

"Damn. What happened to you?" The patented Schnee death glare threatened to end the newcomer where he stood, but Qrow just twitched a smirk at the gesture, which quickly fell as he drew closer and saw just how serious the injury was. "…you look like shit."

Winter let out a bark that may have been a laugh, though more likely it was a hiss garbled by having her mouth clamped shut, as she had yet to drop her sword from where it stood shakily and accusing at Qrow's broad chest. Still, he approached the woman slowly, if not cautiously. It was clear to her that her blade was of little deterrent given the circumstances, and even though she probably would never get a cleaner shot at the insufferable man, she relented and let the weapon fall limply to her side.

She tottered unsteadily on her two feet for half a beat, eyes shut and concentrating on staying upright before her knees gave out and she pitched forward coming down hard. But before she could hit the immutable floor, her long-time adversary had crossed the arm's length between them and caught the woman, hooking her in his outstretched arm and lowering her gently to the ground and keeping her propped somewhat upright. Her hand had fallen from her side and the blood was once again flowing freely and pooling on the stony ground.

"Hey, hey! Careful now. Stay awake, you have to stay awake. You have to tell me what happened." He had to keep her awake and talking, and as he delicately maneuvered her over to the side and propped her against the wall, he fished around in his back pocket for the emergency medical kit he always kept on him. It was basic, but he could at least stop the continuous stream. She mumbled some unintelligible statements about a bastard orange and ice cream while he ripped open the sealed package.

The contents spilled out haphazardly on the floor, and he cursed both his clumsiness in the procedure, as well as not practicing more in the ministrations of first aid. He pawed through the scattered materials, glancing between them, the delirious Schnee, and the ugly wound. He let out another curse that had the woman been awake to hear it, she would have slapped him silly, but he did not care about that right now. None of the bandages were large enough, so with equal parts desperation and quick thinking, he tore off his symbolic cape and wadded up all of the miscellaneous pieces of gauze, pressing them hard against the wound before tightly binding the silken material tightly around the woman's stomach.

She whimpered in protest, and he shivered. It was disturbing to see the proud woman in such a state. But he finished tying the jerry-rigged bandage and let out a sigh of relief as he patted himself on the back for a job well done, as well as having the sheer dumb luck to have actually had a silken cape, which was doing an admirable job of soaking up the flowing body fluid.

The situation was far from ideal, and as he was sure, far from over. Once he was sure she was out of immediate danger, he glanced around, probing the darkness for the doubtlessly dangerous assailant who was able to land such a debilitating hit on Winter Schnee. It quickly became obvious that whoever or whatever it was had fled, and given he had not run into anything on his way here, he was unlikely to encounter it unless he knew where it was going. Besides…

He appraised the near unconscious woman with a grimace. He might not get along with her normally, their arrogant personalities competing for dominance. But he was not so uncouth as to leave her unattended while he went off galivanting and trying to play the hero. Truly, he was in a pickle, all thanks to sticking around his nieces' school longer than he probably should have. It might have saved the life of the Schnee woman, but he was having a hard time feeling too good about that.

The scroll in his pocket suddenly buzzed and he jumped like a swarm of hornets had just stung him before he roughly yanked out the offensive device, the damnable thing getting hung up on the seams of his pockets before he freed it and roughly answered it incessant nagging.

"What?" He practically shouted through the microphone. Winter stirred at this commotion and moaned, but otherwise remained unawares.

Which turned out to be fortunate, for he was sure that even in her debilitated state, she would have mocked him mercilessly seeing all the color drain from his previously ruddy flustered face, leaving him almost as pale as the Atlasian woman.

She suddenly became the least of his worries, though as he received the harrowing news from the other end, he felt as if the entire weight of the world was dropped on his shoulders and the miles-high stack of turtles supporting him just gave way.

What in the hell were they to do now?

* * *

"Well, well, this is quite a nice family reunion, but would someone please kindly inform me what in the hell we are doing now?"

Roman felt it not to be an unreasonable request, but was very thoroughly silenced by three pairs of eyes all piercing through him at the same time with equal amounts of vitriol. Though he was in far too good a mood to let this sort of thing dissuade him. Things were coming together, and for once they looked up for the master criminal aspirant. The best part of all was that the meddlesome youths who had become a consistent thorn in their sides for some time now were all safely trapped on the sinking ship- something which he had personally pulled the trigger on! And even when they landed, they were sure to have a laundry list of other concerns more immediate than whatever ruckus they were about to cause back at beacon.

"Relax, Roman." Cinder dismissed the man's inquiry with a sultry wave of her hand, eyes dancing with a fiery excitement none of the cabal had yet observed in their leader. It was unnerving, and a collective chill ran down their spines.

"You have done well," She looked around and spread her arms wide as if to embrace them all. No one moved. "All of you. Now it is almost time to reap the rewards."

The smoldering woman turned on her heel and started to glide away, seemingly in a random direction but with a purposefulness and personal magnetism that easily swept their hesitant forms in her wake. In her stride she could have lead them to the ends of the earth, and they would have followed her off into the abyss.

Part of Roman wondered if that was not what was in store for them. He still lagged behind the others, minus one Mercury, whom no one still had the courage to inquire as to his final fate. He glanced back from whence they came, the slowly floundering wreckage of Amity coliseum a flickering firefly drowning in a stagnant pond of water past the outline of their own commandeered ship. He clucked pensively before turning back around and two-stepping to catch up to their tail.

Neo, noticing his delayed arrival cocked her head back and questioned his hesitation with a raised brow. By now used to the language of gesture preferred by the mute girl, Roman shrugged.

"Just seems such a waste of good ship. I mean, it's hardly even crashing, just sort of sinking."

The short girl gave a deadpan look to this trite concern, and the orange-haired man who had become an odd aside in her life clutched a gloved hand over his heart and staggered back as if shot.

"Ack! Not you too, Neo! You wound me!"

She shook her head in dismay of the older man's antics. Honestly, he acted more like a child than she did most of the time!

"Shh! Keep quiet back there you two!"

The green-haired girl shot back at the two stragglers to which Neo directed her expression with a more exaggerated raised eyebrow, questioning the girl's association of her with the need to be quiet. Emerald did not seem to notice the irony being preoccupied with the direction her mistress was leading them. She had been given a chance to redeem herself, and she would not squander that opportunity.

"We don't know if this place is empty."

Her glare became murderous when she saw Torchwick daintily cleaning his ears with his pinky finger, flicking off a speck of wax he had extracted. He was clearly unconcerned with this possibility however remote it was in his mind. Emerald was.

"We caught them with their pants down." Roman protested. "Almost everyone was on the stadium, the only here are probably some night janitors." Expressing his logic, the man waved his hand fanning away the young woman's lingering concerns.

"I have been many things…"

A new and ominous voice wafting out of the darkened hall ahead of them reignited these trepidations in all members of the group. All reacted differently to this intruding voice, disembodied and all encompassing, the hallway diffusing the sound all around their procession. Emerald and Neo's hands immediately shot to their weapons, and Roman nearly tripped and bit his tongue, but stumbled and caught himself right before running into the halted woman in front of him. Cinder's frown could be felt by all of them, as her amber eyes glared in the darkness.

"I was a janitor, once…"

There. Smack dab in front of them, making no effort to hide his presence was a tall and slender form. He did not so much emerge from the darkness, as the shroud of black was pulled away from him, the man a statue that had been rooted in that ancient hallway all along, and they had not noticed until now. His smile was disarmingly calm, but the eyes that appraised them above the rims of his gold-colored glasses were without remorse.

"But that was a long time ago."

He rapped his cane against the floor and the crack shot through them like lightening. An amused tug was added to his ghostly smile but his eyes still held them all captive.

"I dare say I have moved up since then."

The three underlings were in various states of terror, an inexplicable and debilitating fear all but paralyzed them. The two women with weapons not yet unleashed froze in place but could feel beads of sweat trickling down their brows. Despite having the benefit of a buffer between him and the oppressive presence, Roman could hardly breathe. It was as if the man had reached out and his fist clenched over his esophagus.

But apart from the single rap of his cane, he had not moved. His hands folded and interlaced over the spherical pommel.

"It's been a while hasn't it, Ozpin?"

Their own leader's voice was like whip and her dauntlessness allowed him to draw a shallow breath and swallow the non-existent moisture in his parched mouth. Cinder was tense, that much they all could see. But apart from that, she appeared unaffected by their sudden submergence under many fold atmospheres of pressure.

The headmaster nodded silently. His eyes were fixated on the woman in front of him and they were just like flies in his peripheries-no, they did not even register.

"You may have changed your title, but my dear **Headmaster** …." In spite of the tension, her words were sickly sweet with sarcasm and she even managed to jut a single leg forward towards the stony man, her velvet dress parting around her silky thigh.

"I don't think you have changed all that much." Ozpin cocked his head, the amusement banished from his face. As she inched forward, step by confident step the others felt the pressure start to be lifted from around them. There was an invisible force radiating from inside her that was welling up and expelling whatever trickery the man had unleashed on them.

"You keep making the same mistakes time and time again."

"And what mistakes might those be?"

Hers was the smile of a viper.

"You dare to hope. You think you can win all the time. You think you can beat us, well I hate to disappoint you, but I have learned. Far more than I ever did in your silly little school." Her hand extended open-palmed towards Ozpin, as if proffering some sort offering. A spark, a diminutive flame which rapidly consumed the ample oxygen allowed it and soon become a condensed inferno, a miniature hell in the palm of her hand.

"Oh yes, I have learned things."

"It seems to me more like you stole them."

The jailed flames in her palm danced around with even more fervor and grew brighter and hotter, bathing the hallway in a sickly yellow glow, shadows dancing like so many armed goblins reveling in their immanent victory. Her smirk turned to sinister smile framed by those blood red lips.

"Stealing is such a harsh word. Besides, you want to talk about stealing?"

The bewitched fire in her cupped palm parted like a curtain and in the deepest depths of the amber glow Ozpin was presented with a harrowing image. A face, twisted and contorted in pain and desperation, mutely screaming out to all the gods of all places, a terrible and haunting specter. But worse still, he knew this face. Faces, as the one bled seamlessly into the other. Deformed and demented even as they were projected in their crimson prison, he knew them.

They called out to him for sweet release.

For the first time, Ozpin frowned, the corners of his mouth dropping just below the point of no return. How dare she? How dare she haunt him with these manifestations of his failure. A failure that had not even happened yet.

"What about the two boys you stole? You want me to believe that it was pure coincidence that they arrived here when they did? Tell me, from whence did you pluck them? Did you rip them away from their parents, their friends, their loved ones? Did you plan it, or was it sheer dumb luck?"

Each supposition twanged a nerve in the conflicted man, a sour note that resonated and threatened to shake him loose. Worse yet, he had no answer to these accusations.

Cinder saw his hesitance and her attack was unrelenting.

"You have everyone kowtowing to your every whim, unquestioningly dancing to your tune that only you can hear. Tell me, how does that feel? Absolute control, absolute obedience. It must be…" Her tongue snaked out and wetted those plump lips. "…enticing."

"I offered them a choice. A choice to do good, or-"

"-or rot in jail?" Cinder finished for him, her predatory smile growing a twinge. "I'm right aren't I?" It was impossible that she had seen him falter, but his silence confirmed it for all those present.

"Really Ozpin, you like to cast us as the villains." She jerked her shoulder to the still awestruck party behind her. "But look at my companions. How many do you think I had to trick into fighting for me? I'll let you in on a little secret…. Not a single one. They all came to me willingly."

The headmaster did not have to look past the usurper of the Fall maiden to see that her 'loyal' subordinates were too affeered to protest this.

"You see, Ozzy, it pays to have those truly dedicated to your cause. So was it worth it? Whatever it was you had to sacrifice, whatever you had to give up, whatever hope you had left to invest in that last-ditch effort to change things. Was it worth it?"

He wanted to say yes. Yes, resolutely and without a doubt. Yes would have propped him up and landed the first blow on that overconfident temptress. But any man living such a life as he had would not be able to do as much. He had doubts as anyone did. He was only human. But he would not, absolutely would not declare anything over before all the cards were down.

"Everything I did…." He took a breath, the sweet smell of the flame tickling his nostrils and mixing in with the damp and dust that had sunk into the ancient halls. His knuckles went white as snow clasping down on his familiar. "Everything I have ever done, was in the hope that it would forge a better world."

He expected much. He expected anything: derisive laughter, condescending scorn, even for that lingering and angry sphere of wrangled flames to be hurled at his unwavering face. Everything but the sorrowful smile that wormed its way onto the antagonist's shadow-splashed visage. He flinched, thinking, hoping it to be a trick of the light, a deceit, but once he saw it, he could not un-see it and it became the first crack in his carefully crafted bastion of resolution.

"It did not work, did it?"

The woman's arm dropped, and that sorrowful look was cast into shadow as the flame drooped.

"You and I…. we are not so different, are we?" He wanted to yell out and deny this with every fiber of his being, but the chink in his armor threatened to become a rift and he held still. "But…" The dying flame suddenly brightened and engorged, bingeing on a sudden wave of passion. It expanded and propagated, the light now blinding and haloed around the woman, the fallen angle, the demi-god as she raised her two arms to the heavens.

The spectators threw themselves back in a fit of self-preservation and could only watch on in awe as it seemed the hallway itself was opening the gates to heaven and hell all at once and their respective forces were to do epic battle until the clarion's last call.

Ozpin stood immutable, pressed suit snapping in the sudden torrent.

"I am not like you. I did not steal this power, it was passed won to me, rightfully, because unlike you I see the truth of the world. We are all in one big cycle. Trapped in the endless wheel of hatred and destruction and no amount of good intentions can free us. The only thing that can break this cycle is to break the wheel. You keep doing the same things, over and over again. Fighting your so called 'evil' wherever it crops up, only to have it appear somewhere else. You will never be rid of evil. You will never win, you will never beat me, not then and certainly not now."

Beneath the firestorm, the roaring of wind and the flames they fueled, orange tongues lashing out and licking his cheeks leaving dusty trails of scorch marks, Ozpin stood resolute. He did not fear death, not then and not ever. He was not sure if he would live to see the end of this encounter. He did not know if his demise would win them any significant victory. He did not need to know. The only thing that would give him solace, the only thing he could do now to prevent his restless spirit from wandering their plane for the rest of eternity was right here, right now.

He had only to try, to do his best and fight for what he knew was right with every fiber of his being.

"I don't need to win."

His words, barely above a whisper cut through the hellfire and caused the woman to frown. In a clean and unhurried movement, his hand found the handle of his sword encased in the ironwood cane and unleashed it, the piercing ring of steel sliding against steel shone like the north star. He held cane and sword both at his sides.

"I do not have to win. The world will continue on without me. It's just as you say, for every darkness the falls, others creep back in to take its place. So it is the same with goodness. Good people will always arise to stand against the darkness. So it was, and so it will continue long after my time. So in that spirit…"

His left leg stepped back and he turned his side to the fire-goddess, sword poised and daring. A knight errant about to take on a dragon.

"I do not have to win. I just have to slow you down."

* * *

"Hey, guys! Slow down! Wait for me!"

Ruby wailed at the backs of the two teenaged boys as they all found themselves winding their way through the back passageways to the damaged docks. In an increasingly familiar fashion, the two had ducked out almost immediately after it became clear that the general population was sedate enough that their presence was no longer needed. But exactly where they were going, and why in such a hurry was still very much a mystery shrouded in their haste.

To her great relief, they halted not soon after her cry and she was able again to breath. She might have been faster than the two of them, even though if only marginally, but she was sure to lose them again if she could not follow the twists and turns they took in the maddeningly incoherent layout of the coliseum passageways. They stopped so suddenly in fact that she nearly ran in to them, though she huffed as she caught herself as the two were still seemingly ignoring her presence.

"Hey, would you two quit running off? I only just…. found….you…."

Whatever scolding tirade she had planned petered off when she followed their tilted heads to the incomprehensible scene in front of them. The girl stood with mouth agape, trying to piece together what it was they were fixated on. It was a beached whale, alabaster skin torn and rent and stained with blackened soot. It had crashed upon a rocky shore of granite, the hard stone resisting the onslaught as long as it could before the strain overcame its minute fractures and defects, large triangular chunks jutting out in chaotic sections, a mouthful of mangled teeth that could not all fit. One of the sharpest segments reached out like a razor and sliced open an angry gash on the blackened body two meters long and drooling a pale green liquid that dribbled down the side and cascaded off the edge of the docks to rain down on the city languidly passing below.

"What…..what is that?"

Whatever it was, was the cause of their sudden shock and unbalance, as the spot they now stood was clearly the lowest point on the lopsided structure. But Ruby still had a hard time identifying the monster that had wedged itself between the two floors housing the dockyards, its once proud trifecta of tails smashed flat and hanging limply off into the open and smoky air.

"It's an Atlasian cruiser."

Sasuke sounded confident in his pronouncement, but even with the certainty behind him, the young woman had a hard time imagining it in its former glory. This sad sight, covered in scars and with still smoldering flames shooting out of jagged openings was nothing but a husk of what it started out as.

"Why did an Atlas cruiser crash into us?" Ruby drew a sharp intake of breath as a startling realization dawned on her. "Oh my gosh! Was anybody injured? We should check for the crew!"

But neither boy moved towards the off-white hull walling them off from the other half of the docks and from any other craft that might have been caught in between this behemoth and the sheer wall of rubble it had nosed into. Their suspicious sides which had long since been repressed were now shouting out to them, and highlighting conspicuous signs. Signs such as the distinct lack of human screams, of blood. The sheer silence apart from the sputtering hum of the engines. They both new there were no survivors to be found, and staying here was like standing next to a ticking time bomb.

But as the two boys hesitated to leap to the rescue in Ruby's eyes, she took the initiative and was about to leap into action, shoving her way past the two of them, more than fed-up with their inactivity.

"Come on! What are you waiting for?"

But as she tried to make her way past the two, Naruto grabbed her arm firmly and halted her progress. The scythe maiden jerked to a stop and whirled around to face her friend with a look of betrayal. Naruto felt himself flinch, but did not let go.

"Naruto! What are you doing? We have to help-"

"There's no one there."

Sasuke cut her off and both turned to face the stoic teen, only to see the inhuman and ferric gaze of the Sharingan combing over the wreckage. Now was no time for trivial matters being kept secret.

"There's no one. Nothing. No blood, no heartbeats, no movement. Nothing."

Nothing. Save the lingering intent.

"What? Then what…" Ruby turned back to her blond friend who still held on to her arm, though now it was hardly necessary and it had just been left there. Her silver eyes met those azure pools, which once she had thought so pure and innocent but now could see the darkness swimming around in the depths. As if he could hear these inner thoughts, Naruto flinched under the woeful gaze and felt the young woman's desperation clawing at him and leaving deep lashes in his soul.

"Naruto, what is going on? Please, tell me." She begged of him, but he was still torn in two, the words of his sensei hammering at him and he was unable to parse out what answer was the least betrayal.

"Please…."

Another hand on his shoulder shook him from his torment, and he twitched to the side looking into the remorseful eyes of his teammate.

"We need to go. There is no sense in us staying here. We need to find Ozpin before…" It was the vagueness, the unknown that proved most frightening.

Naruto nodded acknowledging the truth, but could not will himself to take a step away from his friend. He wanted so much to protect her, to protect all of them, but would it hurt more if he just walked away now? What did it matter, now rather than later? They did not belong, they would never belong. The one thing they could do now was their duty.

"Go? What do you mean? Go where?" Ruby sputtered out, the arm holding her now keeping her friend from blindly leaping. Naruto placed his other hand on her shoulder and squared her to look at him and nothing else.

"Ruby…" he pleaded for her to listen, and she went silent. " Sasuke and I…. we have to go. The people that did this… they need to be stopped." The raven-haired girl opened her mouth to protest this, to offer some alternative, but he cut her off. "-And no, you can't come with us. It's too dangerous."

"I'm not a child!" She declared with such vehemence and conviction he could not help but smile at the irony of her using that argument against him. "I am not weak. You know I'm not. I can help."

He nodded, unable to deny the statement, but he too was unyielding in his decision.

"I know, Ruby. You are perhaps one of the strongest girls I know." Any other time she might have blushed at the compliment, however she knew there was a 'but' coming, and it held the fate of her friend in its existence. "But we need you here. The others need you to lead them. We did not start this, but I think we may have made things worse, and we need to fix that. Where we're going-we might not come back. And…" Naruto cocked his head to look at his partner standing precariously by the edge, hands shoved in his pockets and head bowed, refusing to look at them. "And we're expendable. You're not."

"No, you're not! What are you talking about? Why are you saying that? Why are you doing this? I don't understand any of it. Please tell me what's going on." Fat tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to shed them for a cause that was not yet lost. Naruto could only offer a rueful smile.

"You are right, Ruby, you deserve to know the truth. I am so sorry that I have kept it from you-from everyone, for so long. But I always thought it was for the best. Now…" A fleeting look to the utter destruction in front of them. "Now, I am not so sure. Things have gotten out of hand."

"Then let us help you."

A kind and foreign voice spoke up behind them, and the three spun to face the newcomers, for it seemed that it was not Ruby alone who had rushed after them this time. There stood with equal looks of resolution the remainder of team RWBY and the entirety of JNPR, all scrunched into the narrow passage but now slowly filing out and approaching the three already there. The youngest of the students looked at the assemblage in no small amount of surprise, they were so caught up in their internal dilemmas that the large presence had gone unnoticed until now.

"Yang? Blake? Weiss? What are you guys doing here?"

The blonde folded her arms and huffed indignantly. "We're here to make sure these two-" she shot pointed looks at the two males who flinched at the woman's wrath, "-don't do anything stupid and drag you along."

"We had not intended to get Ruby involved." Sasuke found his courage again to confront the vindictive sister. "In fact, we had not intended to have anything happen to any of you. I'll admit, the thought had crossed my mind to seek assistance at one point," here he singled out the cat-Faunus who met his accusatory glance head on and did not shy away. "But not anymore. Things have gotten too serious. This is not like the other missions we have been on. We are not going to go fight Grimm. Where we need to go we are going to fight people, dangerous people. People who did this-" he flung an arm out indicating the smoldering wreckage. "And when we find them, they will no doubt try to kill us."

"Exactly my point! If it is going to be dangerous, why should there only be two of you? We were put on teams for a reason!" Protested the vocal blonde who threw her arms up in objection.

" **You** were put on teams." This quieted her argument as her fellow blond made this uncharacteristically sober statement. "Sasuke and I were put on a team because we are the same. Because we are…. different."

"Because when we face those people, we are going to kill them."

Every one of the students flinched at this, either the callous manner with which Sasuke had declared it, or else the unwanted truth that it was necessary in such circumstances. To those young fighters raised in a time of peace between kingdoms, the thought of one human ending the life of another, was unfathomable. It was murder, in any shape or form. Even though the lot had these pre-conceived notions, the stronger willed among them tried to reconcile it, but it was a bitter pill, and it showed on their scrunched-up faces.

"You see?" Sasuke did not say this with any scorn nor condescension, but as a matter-of-fact. "When in that sort of battle, you cannot hesitate. If you do, your opponent will not waver and they will kill you."

"You seem to speak from experience." The former member of the White Fang stepped forward. When she had fought alongside her fellow stoic companion for that brief period, she had indeed noticed his conviction when faced with that caliber of adversary. She might have done unsavory things during her time in the White Fang, things that may have lead to the deaths of innocent lives. But she had yet to cross this boundary herself, she was still not sure if she could snuff out a living being with her own two hands. "So tell me, did you ever kill anyone before?"

"Yes." He answered her question without hesitation, and Naruto nodded silently in the background.

"What about before that night?"

The others looked at Blake in all manner of confusion, but she did not tear away from her staring contest with the Uchiha. She patiently awaited his reply, not sure exactly what she was hoping to hear.

"Yes."

The gathering was silent, the waning hours of charivari and all the partygoers were wearily awaiting the rising sun. Finally, a meek voice spoke up.

"So that's it, then? That's the secret that you have kept from all of us? That you two are what, hired killers?" Ruby asked in a mouse-like voice, praying for either of them to deny it. Though as she looked between the two, Naruto could not even meet her gaze.

"When we need to be." Sasuke spoke with a hint of something, vulnerability possibly. It was there, if one squinted hard enough. It was galling having their lot in life summed up like that, but it was perhaps the more appropriate and less glorified truth. "It isn't like we like killing. We were just brought up to be able to. And Ozpin knew this, and he thought we could help him." He laughed a dark and hollow chuckle. "It hasn't seemed to work so far. But I think we can fix it."

"No, we **will** fix it." Naruto found his voice again, and like a flash of lightening in the darkest storms there was the way forward. The crack of thunder petered out somewhere in the distance. "And then… after, we'll go away. And then you'll never have to see us again." The boy avoided looking at the looks of hatred and mistrust, and instead focused on the pain of his fingers digging into his palm. This was perhaps the first time he felt shame. True shame. Not for what he was, what he had inside of him, but of the choices he had made.

They were shinobi, always and forever. But in this world, did they even need them? Or were they obsolete?

No one spoke, and the silence was even more painful than the admission. They could not deny their nature, but they both secretly held out some hope that one of the others, one of the people they hoped to call friends would stand up for them. Steeling himself, and wishing to end the standoff, Sasuke desired to speak up, but was cut off by another interjection from a voice that had yet to make itself known.

"I think it would be best to leave all such talk for a later date. You are correct, though. Right now you two have a job to complete."

All eyes shot over to the other vacant side of the hanger, and from the shade brought about by lights no longer supplied with power, an immaculately dressed and stern-looking man appeared, hands clasped behind his back and gait unwavering.

"General Ironwood!" Weiss decreed, surprised to see the Atlesian military officer still on board. The General acknowledged her presence with a nod of his head, but quickly turned his attention back to his two temporary subordinates.

"Although the Arena is not falling very fast, we are quickly running out of time." The man reminded them of their shrinking deadline. "Right now, the few units I have remaining have confirmed that the craft seen departing the arena just before the collision has made its way to Beacon. I think the two of you know what they are after." The two acknowledged the unspoken order with curt nods, not liking being ordered around by the man with whom they held even less trust than their handlers, but agreeing with the assessment and thankful for the tip.

"I trust you two can make your way back to the school from here?"

They both peeked their heads over the edge. It was a long way down, farther even than the apex of their height when they had been launched off the cliff from their final entrance exam. They would have no problem. They were already slowly churning above the outskirts of Vale, the city's fortified Eastern wall jutting up from the ground and shadowing the model buildings that fell within its protection. It was still a good distance again to the academy outside the wall's protection, but it was still faster than the slow descent they were managing now.

Another nod in confirmation.

"Good." The man turned back to the now very awkwardly waiting crowd of students. "The rest of you will help with the landing preparations. We do not anticipate heavy casualties, but there is no doubt that there will be some. Those with medical training will assemble in the middle of the arena. When we land, the rest of you will assess any casualties and transport them down to the arena for immediate attention and extraction if need be. We are not out of the woods yet, let's move people."

Surprise etched itself on the faces of all the students who were not yet used to being given such direct orders, nor indeed having ever been in such a positon before. But before any could shuffle off to carry out his orders, a whip of red hair sticking above the mob pushed its way to the front.

"Excuse me, General." Pyrrha politely interjected as the rest parted to make room for her stature.

"Yes, what is it Ms. Nikos?" The General Said, acknowledging the Athenian.

"Forgive me sir, but I believe that I should accompany them." Startled protests were snuffed out for the most part as Ren cupped his hand in front of his partner and his leader's mouth, though he could do nothing for the members of team RWBY, who were none the less too shocked to utter a peep. The eyes of the two ninja held surprise for a brief second, but in truth they had been expecting something like this.

Before either the military man or the young warriors could protest however, Pyrrha asserted her position. "I believe you know why." She narrowed her gaze first at the General, and then at the two when it seemed like they might make a scene about it. She caught Naruto with his mouth open and directed another statement directly to him. "It isn't just your battle."

None of them could deny this, and the general could see the logic behind it. It was as good as her verbal acceptance for the position of Fall Maiden, and it made sense now more than ever to salvage what was left of the power. He waved an arm towards the edge and the two waiting boys and she followed that prod, joining her hesitant teammates.

"You two now have another mission." They both looked back to the general from the champion who had joined them. "You must protect Ms. Nikos at all cost." The two nodded. This would not be a hard order to follow. Still, wondering how the woman might feel about her new protection, Naruto hazarded a glance, expecting to see a look of disdain, or more likely for the polite woman, a look of distrust. Instead, she offered him a small smile when she saw him regarding her out of the corner of her eye. It was a start. Better than he could have hoped for.

The three turned to go and walked the last few steps towards the precarious ledge. Before they could step any further though, a call halted them.

"Wait!"

The three spun around at the sudden outcry, though careful not to topple over the slanted edge. Ruby had run up, and now was standing in front of all three of them, but her focus turned towards the shorter two.

"Listen, you guys, I-" she swallowed, pursed her lips thinking of what to say. She shook her head, sending her red-tipped locks scattering into a flower pattern. A black rose. "I don't know. I don't know what I think about all this. I mean, I am kind of hurt- no it really hurt to not be told the truth." Naruto felt the shard of glass be twisted around in his heart, and even he noticed Sasuke twitch in the peripheries of his vision.

"But! But we can work on it. I know we can." The girl's tears had long since dried up, and she clenched her fist close to her chest, holding in her certainty. "Just, please! Come back alive!"

The wind whipped through the four of them perched out on sidewalk's end, chilling their bodies though that final command had reignited the pilot light deep within their cores. Slowly, a smile spread across each of their face. Some, more so than others.

Naruto's smile though smaller than usual, was far more resilient and radiant than it had been for a long time. Many of the demons and shadow that had stained it had been pushed out of the way, at least for now, and his cerulean eyes twinkled amongst the stars in the background. His fist, no longer painfully clenched raised up with thumb extended.

"Don't worry Ruby." He assured her, and she found herself heeding these words. "We'll make it back. That's a promise. And Uzumaki Naruto never goes back on his promises!"

The tears threatened to appear again on the red girl, but before they could run down her pink cheeks chafed by the cold air, she flung herself at the two young men and glommed onto them. The two flailed and very quickly planted themselves to the floor with chakra lest they spill over the side as conglomerate brick.

Both were very surprised by the outward display of affection, but soon gave in. The many pairs of eyes fixated on them did not bother them, including the General's, who had a most annoyed look on his face because of the delay. Though Naruto noticed the redhead looking at them with a small but forlorn smile. He broke the embrace with his right arm and managed to leap up and wrangle the tall woman down into their group hug, careful not to off-balance them again. Both he and Ruby laughed heartily at the warriors surprised squeak, so unseemly for such a confident woman, and even Sasuke could not help but crack a smile, though he hid it behind the knot of heads and limbs.

Eventually, finally, the huddle broke, though it had seemingly done its duty and hope had been restored. It was then that they noticed the General coughing none too subtly to try to get their attention, and wondered sheepishly how long he had been doing that.

"As touching as this is, may I remind you that we are on a sinking ship. We have a deadline."

"Right, sorry."

The four of them disengaged and the ones tasked with the duty of tracking down Cinder and her cohorts turned back to the open air of the night, broken pieces of the moon trickling out behind the trail of smoke coming from their craft. Naruto shot one more look behind him to see his friend willing return to the arms of her sister and eagerly awaiting team, the others shooting them timid smiles, unabashedly showing their concern. He knew he would prove them otherwise.

As he turned back around, he reflexively gulped looking at the profound drop ahead of them.

"So, uh, how do we get down?" Pyrrha asked her teammates with no little skepticism.

"Same way I do everything." Naruto replied with a tooth-filled and cheeky grin. "Jump in head first!"

With a great leap and a whoop of exhilaration, Naruto did just that, Sasuke merely shaking his head before he followed suit. The Amazonian gave a sigh, perhaps reconsidering her decision before she too followed in their wake.

The General turned back from where the three students had just made their exit, hoping beyond all hope that he had made the correct decision in sending them. He regarded the remaining students listlessly milling about in their swarm.

"Move it people! We have work to do."

A few yelps of surprise were heard in reaction to the sudden outburst, mainly from Jaune and Ruby as she leapt into her sister's arms and the blond likewise into thin air as he forgot his partner was no longer there to catch him. Quickly recovering from his blind leap of faith, and not eager to get on the General's bad side, he and the others quickly turned tail and hustled back through the bleak passageway.

Ironwood trailed deliberately after, trying and failing not to think about the children with whom he had just entrusted the fate of the world. He wondered about the wisdom of not going himself. If these enemies were as dangerous as Ozpin said they were, he had his doubts on their success. But he had made his decision, and there was no recalling them now. He had been wrong before, too. He was not sure still if it was the right move to pull his ships and troops back. It did not seem like it, but only time would tell.

Wisdom was useless in this case. They were a long way from home.


	27. Break the Spell

**So I found myself like 12,000 words into this and just couldn't work up the energy to finish it. Motivation, energy, inspiration, one of those or a combination anyway.**

 **Maybe it's for ignoring my reviewers last update? Sorry about that. I am little less stressed now, so I hope that means I can devote a little more time to this, and you, no matter how few of you there seem to be *hint, hint*.**

 **Heaven's** **The** **sis :** **Yes. Need Beta desperately. I know these words, I know these phrases but when I start writing, I really don't like to go back to correct things immediately. Problem is, I generally forget to go back and do this at all. And as others have pointed out, my writing can be cumbersome. There are some good streams in there, not to inflate my own ego, but I am actually re-reading this story from the beginning, and these sections though few and far between are what give me hope that I actually am semi-competent as a writer. But as I said, they are few and far between. There are some serious spelling, grammar and simple matters of clarity that need to be revised. Eventually. Until then, try not to die a little bit inside every time you read one of these sections. Or do. Je connais le Petite-Morte aussi. The "Little death" is familiar to me, and unless I was really, really fucked-up, it was intentional.**

 **Kalomin:** **Glad you like it :) I try not to waste too many bites of memory, but sometimes I go overboard.**

 **Tellemicus Sundance:** **Over-explaining? No. I may be too immersed in reading sci-fi and therefore need an explanation for almost everything, and indeed I hope to reconcile everything I have established in this story further on, but I do not consider this over-explaining. As others have said though, I do tend to ramble on when describing certain scenes. Waxing poetic is like waxing your pole, just don't do it too often or you'll go blind.**

 **Follow the** **Code : as usual, your comments and advice are impeccable. These are all things that will be addressed in the near future. Thanks once again for your commitement!**

 **And thank to everyone else that read this far, and especially to those that comment, even if it is just a "good chapter".**

 **Well, enough of the sentimental shit, let's get on to gloom and doom.**

* * *

The cool and damp night air whipping past his cheeks, tussling his ever-thickening hair and snapping the ends of the velvet colored scarf wrapped around his neck was a nostalgic feeling. The weightlessness, the sudden loss of something tying him down was both liberating and frightening. He not only did not have to do anything, he could not do anything, his fate was out of his hands and he was riding the great wave of the world sweeping him up like it was everything else.

There would be no one to rescue him this time though. No Fox, no Gamabunta, no saviors and no heroes. He was alone in the night air rushing towards the ground, an eternity in which to die. Did he care? Had anything really changed since he had first gotten here? He had been riding the wave the whole time, letting the currents sweep him along, and he had just been treading water trying to keep himself from drowning. Why? Was a life static really worth it? He would bob up in down in the frigid sea waiting for rescue that perhaps would never come. What if he were to let himself sink, pass beneath the tumult and drown in perfect calm?

It would be easy.

Another unconscious breath, a whiff of something fragrant and familiar. He closed his eyes, removing himself from the fast approaching rooftops speckled with the lights of thousands of lives and concentrated on this sensation that had passed over him. Charcoal, sweat, sulfur, blood and flowers. He smiled and the sensitive marks on his cheeks rubbed against the well-worn material. He buried his nose in its folds, and his eyes snapped open. He was not the only one stranded in this sea. He was never alone. They might not be rescued, but they would sink or swim together.

He could not hear anything but the rushing roar of the winds, but he could feel them, there in the darkness, right behind him where they belonged.

He became aware of another feeling apart from the stinging currents rushing over his outstretched arms. A tingling. An itch, deep within his body. Underneath the skin of his arm. Another piece of this world, another piece of someone else inexorably part of himself forever more. He latched onto these feelings, this foreign comfort and let it engulf him.

The warmth of his chakra rushed throughout his body as fast as the atmosphere passed over it. He latched onto it, trapped that squirming and evasive fluid and did not allow it to pass around him. It was slowly swimming deeper and deeper into a perfectly clear liquid. In fact, as the air compressed underneath his splayed body he noticed the images of the buildings start to blur as if he really were being immersed in an immensely large pool. But more importantly, he began to slow down.

As his terminal velocity decreased, another falling object quickly met his descent and threatened to surpass him. He glanced over and smiled despite himself. Sasuke showed no signs of concern even though he did not look to have developed a "landing strategy" as of yet. It was not her for Naruto to reach out with his massive reserves and effect the same cushion of air beneath his friend. Soon the other shinobi slowed to the same rate and the two fell languidly in sync.

Sasuke cast a brief glance at the blond, and Naruto's smile grew an imperceptible amount. His partner would never say thank you for this save. He knew he didn't need to.

The ground came up more slowly now, the two falling like mismatched feathers twirling around in the still and calm night where no one would see them. They drifted over the city of Vale's Eastern wall, a solid and solemn monument in this pale moonlight. It was tall, though from this height it looked deceptively small. Naruto found himself wondering if the walls of their home village would look as diminutive from this same vantage. He might never get a chance to find out.

They dropped over its edge and once they found themselves over the steppe that lay just outside the city's boundaries and right before the Emerald Forest, Naruto released his hold on the two bubbles of air he had formed underneath them and like the pop of an underinflated balloon, they dropped almost gently down to land in equal crouches on the compressed soil.

The two glanced around reflexively looking for anyone that might have noticed their entrance, though it was more out of instinct than anything else. The edge of the woods was quiet. Almost unnervingly so for an area that was supposed to be highly populated by the creatures of Grimm. The two kneeled in silence for a handful of heartbeats and then looked to one another, a silent signal.

Suddenly a shaft landed in between the two like a brass lightning rod and the two twitched and looked back up to the sky. A dark dot, like an eye floater blacker than black against the starry sky caught their notice and started getting bigger and bigger rapidly. Suddenly it was right over them, or rather, right over the well-placed marker.

The flying saucer slowed as it got closer to the ground, and they could then see peaking over its rim a shock of red hair and bronze armor. The shield surrounded by Pyrrha's Aura honed in on the butt of her thrown spear and came down to alight itself just above it, the polarity having instantly changed and the woman hovered on her platform before gracefully flipping off and landing expertly between the two impressed teens. Akoúo flipped off the end of Miló like a coin, and the Amazon stood up arm outstretched and her companion slid onto her outstretched him.

The other two followed suit and stood on either side of their charge. Pyrrha glanced between the two with a small smile on her face.

"I though you two were supposed to protect me." Even in the darkness with the moon partly shrouded by the lingering smoke from the two crafts above they could see her own amused smile and hear the amusement in her voice.

There was a small huff from the other side of the Athenian warrior and Naruto knew Sasuke was smirking. "We figured you could handle yourself." Playful banter aside, they all knew they had a long way to go if they were going to get to Beacon in time to be of any use. The now three adopted a more serious air.

"Right, Beacon is a good 10-minute bullhead ride from the outskirts of Vale. If we can probably match that." Sasuke knew that he and Naruto would have no problem realizing that goal, but even though he knew the redhead to be a capable fighter, he was not sure if she could match their stamina when it came to running long distances. Chakra and Aura were similar, but at some points mutually exclusive. There were some things that the other just could not emulate.

If she was daunted or skeptical of her abilities, the woman did not indicate as such when she assured them that she would be able to keep up. They would just have to see. The two ninja took up positions on either side of her, and were all ready to rush off into the dense woods as soon as their third moved. But despite the urgency, the two could feel hesitation and another issue haunting the woman they were supposed to guard.

She was fixated on her feet, and was nervously rubbing her thumb against the cool metal of Miló that she had retrieved just prior. It was only too obvious what was bothering the normally dauntless woman. She was unparalleled in combat, but when it came to simple social interactions, she was all but hopeless. And this was hardly a simple matter.

Sasuke sighed, and relaxed from his ready posture.

"Just say it already."

Even in the almost pitch black they could see her cheeks go a rosy hue, mightily embarrassed at having to be coaxed so.

"I'm sorry. We should hurry-I know, it's just…." But despite being given approval, she just could not say the words, she dare not ask the question, not for fear of what the two admittedly capable boys could do to her if they were so inclined, but for fear of the answer that might hurt more than anything they might do to keep their secrets safe.

"Pyrrha…it's ok. Please. Ask." Naruto's smile had long since vanished into the night, he had a sinking feeling that he was not going to like this conversation, but despite the urgency at hand, it needed to be done. If she could not trust them as they were now, they would not be able to work together as a team for what was sure to be a hard-won battle even if they were at their best.

She took a steadying breath, her hand wrapped around the haft going tight. "Alright, I'm sorry. I just need to know, how long?"

It was not specified, but it did not need to be at this point in time. The reason, and thus the question was obvious. How long had they been working under Ozpin's command? Had it been for the entire time they were at Beacon? And more importantly, if so, was all that time a lie? Had they attended classes under his orders and gotten close to her and the others to do…. What exactly she did not know. A taste of information had been revealed to her, but not enough to quench her thirst.

"Since the first day." Sasuke's answer was as expected, he did not want to pull any punches nor sugar coat anything. If the band-aid had to come off, it was best done quickly and without regret. Though despite the callous answer, it did not seem to content any of them, least of all the Uchiha.

The woman hung her head. Why had she expected anything different? This was life, and not some fairytale. She should not feel bad about it either, it did not mean that her other friends were coerced into getting close to her, and it did not mean that these two sent to guard her so she could take on the role of the new Fall Maiden would stab her in the back. No, they had only betrayed her trust.

"Wait, Pyrrha, you don't understand. Gah! What I mean is…" Naruto struggled for words, thankful for the darkness hiding just how twisted in pain his face had become. He did not want to show weakness in this dark hour, it was not his place to be the victim, though this surely hurt him as much as her, or any of the others they left behind.

"Look," Naruto began again, slowly and for once taking time to choose his words. "I know it doesn't make a difference, but neither of us wanted this to happen. We didn't know what we were getting into. That doesn't make it better, but maybe… just maybe… I know I can't ask you to forgive us, or trust us. We have not earned that right. But maybe, just maybe, you can give us a chance to earn that trust back. I know it's going to be hard, but that has never stopped us. Please, at least for now, let us protect you. Give us a chance."

It became quiet again in that scrubby clearing just before the dark woods ahead, a single cricket playing a sorry solo somewhere in the bushes. Pyrrha did not say anything for a long while, but she felt her grip on Miló loosen slightly. She wanted to trust them, the part of her that needed faith in humanity needed it, but there was still one last matter that still had its claws in her.

"What about her?" What about the woman wasting away in the catacombs beneath the school? How far could their largess be extended. Could she trust them as she had Ozpin? Could she in fact trust the headmaster?

"We found out about it a couple of weeks ago." Shame filled Sasuke's voice this time. Shame at keeping, or shame at being in the dark for so long?

In any case, they had not known just how far the rabbit hole went. If their word could be taken for the truth, they were only a modicum ahead of the rest of them, and even less far apart from her. They were in this pit together, the blind leading the blind.

"We didn't know you were going to be chosen either. Not at first anyway. We only heard about Ozpin's decision a few days ago." Naruto offered meekly. It was poor consolation to someone who might as well be heading to the gallows, but Pyrrha did not see it that way. It was one more reason she latched onto in order to restore her faith.

"For what it's worth," Sasuke chimed in with a little bit too much levity. "The Idiot here volunteered to take your place."

Now Naruto was really glad that they could not clearly see him because he was sure his face had become even more red than their companion's hair.

"What? How is that… even...?"

Whether or not her face was visible, the two could see the gears turning in her mind, working through the mechanics of how a boy would even qualify for a strictly speaking female position. Meanwhile, Naruto just kept sinking deeper and deeper into his self-pity, while Sasuke gleaned the tiniest measure of levity from the scenario he had just put his friend in.

"I, uh….. sorry, but…I thought you were a boy?"

The snort coming from the dark-haired teen's mouth, along with the choking sound coming from the blond in question was the sound of the tension breaking in the otherwise very gloomy proceedings. Though he would probably later come to appreciate the cruel humor besot on him by his partner, Naruto was at the moment none too happy being the butt-end of the joke. Struggling to regain his composure, he tried to rectify the situation and scrape up the last vestiges of his dignity while he still could.

"I am! Really!" Naruto emphatically assured the redhead who probably looked about as embarrassed as he himself was. "Well, you remember how I can make myself look like a girl, right?" He heard a little noise of acknowledgement and thought he saw her head nod dumbly. He tried to handle the next part as tactfully as possible. "Well, you see… when I transform, I don't just **look** like a girl…." He trailed off there, but the implications were obvious to anyone with half a wit.

The mechanics in Pyrrha's head finally clicked into gear and she found herself oddly more fascinated than anything else, and it was this naïve curiosity that spawned the next question before she could reign it in.

"So you really completely transform? Does that include-"

"YES!"

Naruto cut her off with more vehemence than necessary, but he was growing very tired of being the subject of the conversation. There was another pause in the conversation after this admission, and he just stewed in the silence, trying to regain his composure by reminding himself of the grave matter at hand, and trying to convince himself that he had outgrown whatever childish proclivities had birthed that particular technique. Neither of these worked, however. Until, that is he heard the airy and melodic sounds like a lonely set of wind chimes.

Pyrrha's laugh was politely small, but she was able to convey much more than the mild mirth she found with the back and forth which had broken the ice threatening to trap them. She was expressing how grateful she was that she could laugh like this.

Hearing the southing sound, and despite being the indirect result of this laughter, Naruto began to relax once again, and for the first time perhaps in a long while. The quiet merriment trailed off and there was peace once again with the solitary cricket still singing his lonely song.

"Thank you." For everything.

She could not see it, but they were both offering her smiles in acknowledgment, the three of them compatriots once again.

"Alright! Now, let's get going!"

This proclamation was met with universal reception, the three once again running headlong back to the task at hand.

"Right!" Came the twin cries. They started off into the forest towards the soft blue outline of the academy peeking out over the trees far off in the distance.

The sky lit up. An angry orange and mottled glow bathed the clearing, briefly illuminated their shocked looks. There was no more joyous expression on anyone's face.

The limping stadium that had long since dropped them off had meandered over the woods in its slow and gyrating descent. All of a sudden it had sprouted a bright red flower, the flames almost going green where they originated, completing the picture. But this beautiful sight soon withered, and the flower's petals were scattered, heavy and sharp debris rained down from the sky to litter the woods, and soon enough small forest fires were burning. But they had little care for those.

In the brief flash of light, and the smoldering wound that remained, the three of them could see the entire structure lurch through the air as if pushed. Then it hung there in seconds that felt like minutes before the last strings keeping it aloft were cut. It careened out of the sky leaving a thick black mark against the star-studded night, and it was headed right for….

They all were speechless, but silently swore to any and all gods that would listen.

The once proud coliseum fell like a frisbee in a headwind, angling downward so that it struck their school's prominent tower edge on, bifurcating it. They did not see where the top of the tower went, because the rest of the stadium came down right after and imbedded itself in the stony flesh of what had been their home for so many months. Even before the cloud of dust had begun to rise from the impact, the three of them were darting off into the woods and towards the crash site, running and leaping faster than any of them thought could be done.

Ten minutes be damned. Half that was five minutes too long.

* * *

She fidgeted. Subtly glanced down at her scroll.

Five minutes.

It had only been five minutes?! How was that possible? She was dying of boredom in those five minutes! Had she entered some kind of wormhole or portal that took her to a different plane where time acted differently? Maybe she had, and this Naruto and Sasuke were really from a different world entirely and they had accidentally discovered them so they trapped them in a time-loop! Nah, stuff like that only happened in bad fiction.

Ruby gave a long winded sigh and glanced around the hundreds of stands seating thousands of anxious and restless civilians all nervously waiting for when they could disembark this deathtrap and see their loved ones again. None more anxious or nervous than Ruby, however. And bored.

Did she mention bored?

General Ironwood had rounded up all of the listless students milling about or trying to quell what problem peoples still remained, and with a few well-placed stern words, he had snuffed out the last of the dissent and efficiently organized the students into an on the spot medical response unit, complete with an ersatz field hospital set up with what little supplies they had including those stone-hard mattresses that they had been forced to drag up from the infirmary.

Now the General, along with Ms. Goodwitch who had shown up in the nick of time to prevent Yang from spilling a case of very delicate, and presumably very vital medical fluids, the purpose of which she could not guess, were chatting down in the center of the arena with the rest of the students who even had the most rudimentary of medical training. Meanwhile, those not so gifted in the healing arts, fortunately including 3/4ths of her team minus Weiss, were to wait about among the civilians, providing reassurance of an orderly process and a safe landing, and to be there in case anyone should happen to fall and injure themselves upon landing.

And while this was going on, she was sure that Naruto, Sasuke, and Pyrrha were off having a grand old adventure battling the diabolical perpetrators of this really quite inconvenient situation. It was so unfair! Why did General Ironwood send the three of them and not any of the rest of the perfectly qualified students?

Her ire at the injustice of it all was very quickly swept aside as the reality of the situation swooped back in. It was perfectly obvious why those two had to be the ones to go, and Pyrrha was probably leagues ahead of the rest of them as well, so it made sense for her to go. She knew why she wanted to feel slighted though.

It beat feeling hurt.

It beat feeling scared.

It beat all manner of other awful feelings that she could be experiencing that she was not sure she even knew the names of. If she gave in, it would be a slippery slope that she was not sure she could recover from. How could you salve something you could not even find?

She was not even sure **how** she should feel now. She knew that everyone had secrets. She had forgiven her teammate twice, and was sure that even Ms. Goody Two-Shoes had her own skeletons in her closet (she shivered at the literal though of those images, but didn't put it past her often abrasive partner). Heck! Even she and Yang had their hang-ups that they had yet to discuss with any of their acquaintances. But this was something different.

Wasn't it?

The two had confessed to killing. Not something. Not Grimm like they were all supposed to, but people. Other living, thinking beings with souls. Who knew what else they were still keeping from them? She tried to reconcile it, brush it aside like it was nothing. It was if not explicitly stated, a commonly known fact of being a hunter that one may be called on to combat another person, perhaps in the course of this, kill them. It was another thing to actively go out with the intention of ending a life. Multiple lives in this case if what she understood was correct. And to be so young….

And what about it? Here she was, kicking her legs like a petulant child sitting on the banister while she should be doing something adult-like. Productive. Proactive. Those were two words she had always cringed at hearing but which were slowly starting to worm their way into her daily thoughts. What was wrong with a little bit of maturity, even at their ages?

Hanging around her sister and the others had made her think of this question a lot, and the only conclusion she could come to was that there wasn't really anything wrong with becoming a little bit more mature. Maturity, at least according to her sister, brought about all kinds of rewards, some of them she particularly remembered the blonde blushing and stuttering trying to explain them to her. None of that sounded too bad, though.

It was the rest of it.

The killing. The lying. The deceit, the subterfuge, the double talk, the responsibility, the hopelessness. That was the adult world. She knew her own outlook on things might be childish, but it was also hopeful. She had decided long ago that she could not live in the adult world if that meant abandoning her beliefs. They were what made her who she was.

And what of the rest of them? Did being more adult make them happy?

She cast her thoughts to her absent friend. Dare she say her best friend, apart from her sister, of course. When the two young boys had shown up that first day of school, it had been like a gift sent from heaven. People not only her age attending the school she had wound up in, but actually younger than her. She would hardly be noticeable compared to them! And while one of them was disappointingly reserved most of the time, he did not seem to be bad a person. Plus, he arrived with one of the most outgoing and cheerful people she had ever met besides herself (and Nora!). She shoved aside the unwanted intruder.

He was boisterous, and kind, and lighthearted, and unlike her even though he seemed a little out of place at first, his personality made him fit in like a missing puzzle piece. He was nowhere near as socially awkward as her, and for that she was grateful, because it allowed the two of them to become friends. And despite not being on the same teams, they managed to remain friends throughout the entire semester.

At least, she had thought so.

As it turned out, there was a shadow behind that sunspot. He could kill. And lie. And do other adult things. Did that mean he was pretending to be her friend? To what end? Did grownups even need an end goal for them to do the horrible things they did? Despite the supposed time of peace, these things kept happening, over and over again. The only pattern she could see was cyclical.

But did Naruto need a goal? What drove him to do the things he did? What had caused he and Sasuke to age so profoundly before their time?

She felt he must. She was sure he must. The gentle glow that he emitted whenever he entered a room was too hard to fake. Whatever demons lurked behind blue eyes were enough to injure him, but they would never be enough to take him down. She saw it in the smile, in the thumbs up he gave her before they left. He would never give up trying, of that she was certain.

Right! Then that's what she had to do! As much as it hurt, she had to try to become more adult. She had to take on responsibilities and maybe do things that were sometimes boring or unpleasant, but she would grit her teeth and bear it. But she would never give up her winning attitude. She would bank her hopes on her friends returning to her, and she would believe in a way for them to mend the tear that had come between them.

But man was that a long time away!

Her sister saw her sigh and slapped her good naturedly on her shoulder, causing the poor girl to almost slide off of the polished metal bar she was using a seat.

"What's the matter Rubes?" Ruby glared back at her sister's obnoxious smile. "Miss your boyfriend already?"

"Don't call me that!" She turned away from yelling at her sister to hide her reddening cheeks.

"…and he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends."

"Riiiiiiiight." Yang placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, the cheesy grin never leaving her face.

"Keep telling yourself that Ruby. One day, you'll wake up and find out that you've grown up, and then that he's grown up, or vice versa, whatever. And then when you're both adults you'll start getting these feelings and these urges-"

"LALALALALA I can't hear you!"

Yang chuckled and wrapped her arms around her younger sibling who had clamped her hands to her ears and shut her eyes while yelling her mantra. Her warm and comforting presence shook Ruby out of her state of denial, and she let her arms fall over her sister's that were enveloping her. She felt the blonde bury her nose into her short cut raven hair and rest her forehead on the back of Ruby's skull.

"Uh, Yang, what's up?"

"Mmmm, nothing, nothing." She mumbled into her sister's strawberry-scented locks. "Everything is going to be alright Ruby. Don't worry about anything, it's all going to turn out alright."

Ruby was a little curious at this sudden display of familial affection. They were no strangers to such familiar displays, but it was usually her being comforted by her sister. It was a strange feeling, because even if she was not admitting to it, she could tell that her sister was as effected by recent events as she was.

She blinked. "Of course everything is going to be alright Yang." She said as if it were already a forgone conclusion. "But it's not just going to turn out that way. We have a lot to do, but I am sure that if each of us helps share the responsibility we will have no problem with whatever comes next."

Yang chuckle warm breath as she nuzzled further into the embrace. She resisted the urge to pinch those rosy cheeks and see the adorable pout that was sure to be instigated from her sister.

"When did you become so grown up?"

She heard her sister blow a wet raspberry at this accusation.

"Please! I am so mature! But just because I can be more adult about some things doesn't mean that I have to become boring!"

Breaking off the hug, Yang laughed as she tussled her sister's hair, content to see the cute little pout it precipitated.

"It sure doesn't, kiddo."

"Doctor Sawbones is in the house!"

"Nora! Come back here! For the last time, woodshop does not count as medical experience!"

"Sure it does, Ren! Don't you remember that class? There was so much blood it had to count for something!"

The two half-sisters couldn't help at laugh at the juxtaposition of this comic scene with their little heart-to-heart.

"At least you're more mature than some people."

"You're telling me."

For the second time that night a violent shock rocked them, sending Ruby and her sister sprawling on either side of the railing. The stadium once again echoed all over with the shrill screams of the desperate and confused. Before either of them could pick themselves up, the already tilted floor sunk even further. And even more unsettling was the unearthly feeling of their stomachs trying to worm their way out of their throats.

Ruby picked her pounding head off the concrete floor just in time for the feeling to completely overcome them. She felt her hair slowly lift off her head like she was in an electric field, the weightlessness expanded down to her body and she couldn't do anything but watch as anything that wasn't tied down began to drift into the air.

They were in freefall.

Somehow over the screams, some of which might even have been her own, she nonetheless leapt into action. She did not even have a plan that she was aware of, but shrugging off the growing bump on her forehead she found Crescent Rose in her hands before she knew it and its unfolded blade she imbedded into the nearest clear patch of floor and hung on. She whipped her head around in this increasingly stomach-wrenching Escher-like landscape to try and spot something, anything that would help the ones that could not help themselves.

"Blake! Weiss!"

Across several rows she saw her two teammates whip their heads around to face her, shocked faces solidifying to steel at her beckon. She simply raised her free arm, the one not latched on to her weapon, and clenched her fist, jerking her arm down as if to ring on some massive bell. The signal was clear.

The cat-Faunus already floating in the sudden loss of gravity twisted her body like the animal spirit she was imbued with and lithely hooked her foot under the other end of the railing Ruby had just been shrugged off of. While her waist twisted one way, her torso shifted the other and in the apex of that shift Gambol Shroud was cast off towards her team leader. The blade slid in between a unified row of screaming civilians lifting off of their seats despite some of their efforts to remain grounded.

Ruby caught the chucked weapon in her free hand, and as soon as she had a good grip on the ring in the sheath, she yanked down at the same time Blake coiled her body in on itself, making the stretched ribbon taught. And as it snapped to attention, it reigned in the line of potential victims that were floating off into the middle and secured them back in their seats.

The ad-hoc seatbelt in place, Ruby looped the sheath around the banister behind her, and once assured that it would hold, turned her attention to the rest.

As Blake had reigned herself and the reluctant passengers back into their seats, Weiss leapt up over their section of stands. She hung there in the air, taking advantage of the artificial weightlessness to gain a better angle. A flick of the wrist and Myrtenaster cast off a broadly spaced shot of blue dust towards the lot of panicking spectators.

"Hah!"

Before the ice round had even impacted, Weiss spun around to another section, and then another, expending her reserve of the precious material, but managing to glue a goodly portion of the floating people back to their seats. Hopefully the ice would last long enough until they touched down. But this could not be her concern.

"Yang!"

The young woman who had been groaning and dividing her attention between holding her stomach and its contents threatening to work its way out of her mouth, shook off the nausea and body blow that had been delivered when the sudden shift sent the metal railing into her stomach.

"Right!"

A directed shot with her right gauntlet sent her flying off in her teammate's direction. Weiss held her arms out to her sides so that the blonde boxer could have a clear target. Yang had her own arm extended out as if about to deliver an excruciating haymaker, but cupped her elbow and hooked the arm around the other woman's waist, sending the two pirouetting into the open until Yang sent off another shot in the opposite direction sending the two of them back to the solid edge from whence they came.

As soon as they touched the severely angled floor, Weiss took the lead again and anchored them along with several others in their immediate radius down to the ground.

Seeing all of her teammates were safe, or as best as they could be on a massive building dropping out of the sky, Ruby cast one more glance out to the rest of the chaos that was unfolding around them. Patches of seats here and there were occupied, curtesy of the ingenuity of the other students and hunters among them. But there were plenty more specks, weightless bodies careening out and up into the air, far more than any of them could hope to handle.

There was nothing more they could do.

She could not bear to look at them anymore, and her eyes darted around to see if there was anything that she could potentially help with. She caught sight of their other team, the remainder of team JNPR doing what they could, Nora managing to stick a good handful down with a static charge. She only caught a sock of blond hair that she thought might have been Jaune. She didn't see Ren.

Goodwitch was down in the center, thankfully securing the ones who had absolutely nothing to hold on to. But the medical supplies and even the beds were now at best debris obscuring any clear image of the situation. Though as soon as they stopped, those annoying gnats would become missiles.

Over the incalculable din, the screams and rushing wind over the open top of the stadium, Ruby shouted out to anyone that was still listening.

"Everyone! Hold on-"

Gravity returned eagerly, refreshed from its absence.

* * *

A lash of pure red energy tore through the ground in front of her and sent her flying. She struck the unforgiving granite wall behind her and fell to the ground. She landed on all fours, trying but failing to rise up and return the blow, as she swore she would. Gravity was not her friend right now.

She managed to glance up, and her crimson eyes shot open just in time to see the tip of a thick blade swimming against the ground, drawing a line of sparks behind it and headed right for her downed form. She threw herself to the side just as the blade arced upward, indiscriminately leaving a deep gash in tile and stone as it passed by where she had just been. She propped herself up on one knee and just barely managed to raise her pair of machine pistols and empty the remaining clip in the vague direction of her attacker.

With blood trickling down into her eye and the short muzzle break casting off a blazing ball of light at each end of her weapons, she could not hope to see whatever damage she may have caused. She just held down the triggers until sound, recoil, and light stopped and sulfur and a deathly pall hung in the air.

But no body lay in front of her.

She whipped around just in time to see the massive blade descend down upon her like a guillotine, only to be held back by a considerably smaller sword that had interceded at the last moment. She threw herself back onto the ground, fearfully gazing upward to watch the battle of wills, that improbably tiny strip of metal all that had kept her in one piece.

She didn't even think as she began shimmying back on her scuffed elbows, worming herself away from the fight that she was clearly not ready for.

It did not help that she could see the look on her savior, the normally quiet and composed girl gritting her teeth from the strain of holding the larger man and his equally large blade at bay. She saw the other's mismatched eyes waver from the effort, and a bead of sweat that launched itself off her brow to escape this seemingly hopeless situation.

"I have to admit, you're pretty good girl. What's your name anyway?"

The petit swordswoman didn't make a sound as she held back the other blade with all her might. But her own sword was shaking. Arms getting heavy.

"Pity you picked the wrong side, you might have beaten me one day."

A pointy leather shoe shot out from underneath the massive weapon and into the girl's gut. Her eyes went wide and a silent gasp wormed its way out as she was cast back into the darkness.

The kick left her attacker, the black-caped man with his back turned towards her. But she could not hope to take advantage of this fortunate angle. She could barely crawl along the ground, much less pounce on him without his notice. All her ammo was shot. Her legs were shot. Aura? Gone too. Not that it would help her much if push came to shove.

The man turned around to face her almost lazily, a single eyebrow raised in what she assumed was mock curiosity, and an otherwise unreadable expression on his face, scraggly with a sever five-o'clock shadow. He propped the gargantuan blade onto his shoulder like it was a baseball bat and slowly took a single step towards her, his short cape sweeping back and forth behind his gait.

He took another step, and she felt herself halt in her retreat as she came up against that same wall. Her heart stopped. He looked down at her, as if he was looking at a peculiar insect. Not peculiar to save and mount, though. Just interesting enough that he would pause before squashing it. The man sighed.

"I hate to hurt little girls like you, but really you have no one to blame but yourself. And the thing is, I normally wouldn't even bother, but you see you are kind of getting in my way. While you may not be that much of a challenge, well, your boss…" He glanced up and back through the massive skylight that had been the school's latest addition only minutes ago. Not seeing what he had hoped, he turned back to her, and she felt herself tremble. "Well, your boss is another matter. She took something that didn't belong to her. Now, I have to go help take it back. So, you have a choice, either get out of my way, or…"

He shrugged the weapon resting on his shoulder. Her options were fairly black and white. There was only really one choice, though. She cast aside the pain, the fear, as she had done before. She had cast her life away once. She didn't have any other to give. Though her mouth was dry, she welled up the last moisture in her mouth, mostly blood as it turned out by the coppery taste and spat in the man's direction.

Laying on her back as she was, her loogy fell rather short of its target, smacking down with a pitiful splash on her own thigh. She grimaced, but the message was clear. The man sighed and rolled his eyes at her defiant and ultimately wasted gesture.

"Have it your way."

She wouldn't even see the blow that took her, this man already proved himself far faster than any of them. So she just stayed where she was, and patiently awaited whatever came next.

Which, as it turned out was deafening blast once again delaying her demise by putting itself in between her and the man who might as well have been the Grimm Reaper. She shielded her eyes and face with one arm that was not keeping her propped up and looked away as the light threatened to blind her.

"Come on! Get up damn you!"

Before she even opened her eyes, she felt someone tugging on the crossing straps of her once-white top. She tried to heed the advice, but couldn't manage to right herself as fast as the other person wanted her.

"Oh, for the love of-!"

She felt an arm slide underneath her bruised back and she winced as she was hauled upright. Her arm that was shielding her face was slung over the person's back and before she could open her eyes fully, they were shuffling ungainly in the other direction.

"Stupid brat. I told you that you couldn't handle him on your own. I know you don't exactly like me but you should at least respect my survival instincts. It's how I've lasted this long."

She rubbed the crusting blood off of her right eye and cracked it open to glance at the speaker and her rescuer. Part of her wished she had just died back there. Being saved by Neo was one thing, she wasn't sure if she would ever live this down. She wasn't sure she wanted to.

To be fair though, Roman Torchwick looked like he had seen better days too, and was not going to be in a position to lord it over her any time soon. His suit was in a sorry state, torn and stained by soot, blood and who knew what else, his tie had long since been abandoned and his iconic bowler went AWOL sometime during the last few minutes. It was a shame, really, he had just replaced it after his original had been neatly bisected almost taking his head with it. All in all, the normally immaculately dressed criminal would probably have to purchase a whole new wardrobe. If they survived, that is.

Emerald wasn't sure what the possibility of that was. Besides, she was in no position to make any comments on people's appearances. She probably looked like shit right now. She felt like it.

"Who is that guy anyway?" She managed to wheeze out despite the fact that her throat felt like sandpaper. She should have saved the saliva.

"Qrow Branwen." Roman replied as he paused and shifted her limp body further up onto his shoulder before proceeding to limp off. "You've heard the name, but you have no idea who he is, or what he is capable of."

"I think I get the picture now."

"No, you still only think you get the picture. He is going easy on us, which is remarkably generous of him given what we were trying to do, and what Cinder is surely doing right now with his boss. If he had wanted us dead, we would be. Believe that."

They had gone another few dozen steps before they stopped again, this time she felt herself be shrugged off his shoulder and gently sat down on a large stone that had been dislodged from the wall she now leaned against. Roman grunted as he leaned heavily on his cane to bring himself upright.

"Sorry kid, but I just have to rest a second. Not as young as I used to be."

The man was hardly over the hill, though with how she herself felt, Emerald could sympathize. That didn't erase the worry though.

"We have to keep moving though. He's sure to find us." They hadn't managed to put much distance between themselves and the juggernaut. From what she could tell, they only managed to gimp down the length of one hallway before making a turn and making it halfway down that one. She had no idea where they were now, but was sure that that man, Qrow, could find them quite easily if he wanted.

"Just give me a second." Romand said as he leaned back against the opposite wall, breathing heavy with strain. She could see him fully now, and saw the significantly darker stain running down his pant leg, and leading up to where it was hidden under his coat. He saw where she was looking and self-consciously fixed the tattered edge of his jacket. "It's nothing. Just give me a second. I'll get us out of here." He said defensively. She wasn't sure if he said it for her benefit, or his.

"I think we should be alright here for a brief second. Neo's better than either of us. She should be able to hold him back for a few minutes at least."

She doubted it, but something else was more dominant on her mind.

"Why the hell are you doing this?"

Roman chuckled ruefully and thumbed his cane. "I don't know, poor life choices I suppose."

She narrowed her gaze past the squint that she could manage right now.

"No, I mean, why are you helping me? You said it yourself, I don't like you, you don't like me. You have always looked out for yourself and so have I. So why not just leave me here to die while you escape?"

The orange-haired man just sighed and shook his head. She became annoyed, thinking he was dismissing her.

"I don't know." That surprised her. The man with contingencies for everything was becoming impulsive? "Let's just call it payback for not slitting my throat earlier." She tried to chuckle at that, but it came out a cough. He did it for her, and even though it seemed like he was laughing at her, she somehow though that it might have just been gallows humor at their pathetic situation. Why had they expected anything less? Had they, really? Cinder was a woman worth following, that was sure. But they were and always would be pawns, and it was the fate of pawns to be sacrificed so the other pieces could move to advantage.

"Alright." He had not seemed to recover, but despite this, Roman forced himself off the wall supporting him and once again relied heavily on his cane as he limped over to her.

"Let's get out of-"

The ceiling collapsed and a cascade of stone and brick came down crushing the man in front of her before the rest followed. She was sent down to the ground as the wall fell on top of her and she was buried underneath the rubble to die alone in silence.

* * *

Everything was dark. Everything was silent. She cracked her eyes open painfully. Light. Not the fluorescent glow from the stadium lights. Fire. Fires. Blazing all around like candles in a dark chapel. It wasn't quiet. Her ears were ringing. Things were coming back. Sight. Sound. Memory. She flexed her digits, then her limbs. Groaned as she flexed her hip and felt a stab of pain coming from her thigh. She heard her own groan. That was good. Her hearing was coming back quicker than expected.

She almost wished it hadn't.

As the ringing in her ears died down and she began to prop herself up she became aware of another drone taking over her senses.

Screams. Wailing. People crying bloody murder.

There were people in pain, people dying, and those kneeling over the bodies of their loved ones, wailing to whatever gods could possibly be so cruel to cause such devastation.

The sound rushing back in nearly knocked her over, but she fumbled about and found something to grab onto to haul herself upright, or at least to a sitting position. Something round and metallic. Something familiar. Crescent Rose, she recognized as she found where she had carved her name in her chicken-scratch handwriting after applying the weapon's finishing coat. She opened her eyes fully, the blur coming slowly into focus.

It was so dark apart from the fires, that she had a hard time at first telling the difference. Still, she relied on her weapon, still imbedded into the angled floor to bring and keep her upright until she could find her footing again, despite the pain in her leg. Which was starting to go away, she noticed after trying to put some weight on it, and not wincing uncontrollably. Not broken then.

She remembered what had happened right before she went unconscious, and began looking around. How long had she been out? The desperate and inconsolable sounds surrounding her reminded her of her own precious people.

"Yang! Weiss! Blake! Where are you guys?! Are you ok?!"

She cupped her hands and yelled out into the darkness, her own voice so horse and scratchy it was hardly recognizable. She lowered her hands and took another look around, praying that they could hear her. She was about to try again when a cry came out from behind her.

"Ruby!"

She spun around on her bad leg and immediately regretted it, but did not go down. She saw three shapes move into the flickering light and immediately felt a great load be taken off of her shoulders. Before she knew what she was doing, and despite the pain in her leg she found herself leaping up the steps and over to the shadows she assumed to be her team. All three of them were there, Blake limping and practically being carried between the other two who both held grim but relieved expressions. But they were all intact it seemed. They were ok, and that was all that mattered.

Ruby restrained herself from glomming on to her sister as she was supporting her partner, and stopped short just in front of them. Regardless, everyone was glad their team made it alright. Though that did bring up the question of the dark-haired woman.

"Blake, are you alright?"

The Faunus just huffed. "I'm fine. Just when came down, I had my legs wrapped around the bar and…" She trailed off clearly not wanting to discuss the matter further. Ruby winced in sympathy at her fellow woman's pain. Guys went on and on about getting hit down there, but no one ever talked about how it hurt just as bad for a woman. Still. Nothing broken. Nobody bleeding, excessively, scratches notwithstanding. They were lucky.

They were.

The wailing around them had not died down, if anything being alert and upright made the noise all the more horrible. The four of them scanned around their immediate area, and suddenly the severity of the situation became clear to all of them. They began to notice their surroundings, everything that had not been secured and that had come down. Hard.

Ruby threw a hand in front of her mouth as the smell and sights suddenly overwhelmed her. Wherever they looked, people lay strewn in various states of mortality. Some were lucky, cradling a broken arm or hobbling around with the help of a group of fellow victims. Others, not so much. Some lay strewn across benches, limp and clearly lifeless. Other bodies had been broken over an edge, or a particularly hard surface, and the results had not been pretty.

Ruby gasped as she glanced down and immediately moved her foot out of the splattered remains of someone's head. She couldn't tell if it was human or Faunus, man or woman. She didn't want to guess. It must have split open when they crashed. At the very least it would have been quick. This was leagues worse than vomit.

Though there was that too. The sour smell of it, as well as the sickly-sweet smell of charred flesh assaulted her when she gasped, and she once again almost lost whatever remained in her stomach. This was horrible, worse than anything any of them could have ever imagined. None of them had ever picture what a hell might look like, but if they did not know where they were, they would swear they were in it right now. Others seemed to recognize this as well, as even those who did not appear to be injured walked around aimlessly, detached, like they were the ones trapped outside of the gates in purgatory, listless and without hope.

"This… is…."

"Horrible." Yang could not even find words to describe it, but with a bitter grimace, Weiss had put a label on it. But putting a name to the devastation did not make it any more real. Even then, just looking around it seemed fake, like one of the cheesy slasher flics that Yang had subjected them to on one of their other "slumber-parties". They were just waiting for someone to start laughing, or to turn off the TV. But no one was reaching for a remote.

So it was up to her. She swallowed the rising bile and steeled herself against the death and destruction all around them. Denial, gawping and standing there would do nothing. This was reality, it had finally caught up to them, and now they had to either face the truth or…. Well, there really wasn't much of an or. Not now at least. They had a job to do.

"Let's go guys." The red-cloaked girl turned on her heel and began to walk off leaving her team looking after her with equal measures of shock.

"Ruby? What are you doing?"

She stopped and turned back to look at her friends and teammates, stern resolution masking whatever fear and horror she was feeling. She had to be strong. For them. For the others. And for herself.

"We have a job to do."

The three just looked between themselves, unsure of what had overcome their leader, and unsure exactly what to do with this new Ruby.

"Come on! Don't just stand there! Well, Blake, I suppose you can sit down for now. Try to feel better." She amended sheepishly. "You two, help look for survivors. We have to help the injured to get to someone who can help them. We also have to make sure no one got trapped or buried under a collapse. Well? What are you standing there for? Get to it!"

The two mentioned snapped to attention, making the dark-haired woman wince as she was jerked upward unexpectedly. They both glanced to her, chagrinned, before carefully setting their friend down in the nearest (and cleanest) seat. They then rushed off to follow their leader who was already taking the initiative, Blake assuring them that she would recover in short order and join them in a second. They had no doubts she would keep her word, sitting there was a necessity, not a pleasure. It was hardly relaxing sitting among the dead and dying and not being able to do anything.

It felt like hours, rushing from one set of cries to the next in the darkness, but it must have only been a matter of minutes. They could no longer tell. All of their scrolls had either been broken on impact, or had discharged. And those that were working were being blocked by something, not that it was particularly surprising being that they were in the middle of a mostly-enclosed concrete structure.

Those excruciatingly long minutes began to wear on them. Not just the physical strain of rushing about, but the mental anguish from having to confront case after case. Person after person, each time never knowing what they would find at the end of the cries. Men, women, children. The children were the worst. They might come upon a man who had been skewered upon a flagpole, hanging there with a look of abject shock on his face, but it was no worse than approaching the curled body of a child that was as still as the floor it rested on. There growing up would have to be done all at once.

There were some saving graces. Their friends, along with most of the foreign students had made it with few injuries. Aura was an amazing thing. This included the majority of those who had been gathered around the headmistress and other medically trained personnel. They had all made it, and were able to give and receive medical attention almost instantly. These were small concessions, they helped, but they could not overcome the sheer devastation that continued to be painted around them.

"Ruby, hey wait. Just, wait up, wait a minute." Yang called shakily out to her sister. Ruby stopped and jerked her head back to see Yang wavering on her feet, Weiss trailing slowly behind them as she was about to rush off to another location.

"Yang? What is it?"

She was twitchy, running on adrenaline and trying the best she could to just get on with the work that needed to be done and ignore whatever feelings would debilitate them later. But she noticed that her sister was coping differently with their gruesome task. She was shaking, running her hand nervously through her hair, uncaring that it had become quite mussed by now.

"Just… let us rest a minute."

Ruby was about to protest, insist that they had not checked the area thoroughly enough and that there might be other victims still calling out for help, but as she regarded her sister and saw the hollow look in her eyes, so shockingly departed from her normal fire, she gave in. They were all worn thin, and it would only make things worse on themselves to push further. Besides, anyone that they had not found already was probably dead.

It was these thoughts that they were all trying to avoid, but their energy and empathy had been spent. They needed to break. Ruby silently nodded to the two of them as Yang gratefully collapsed in the nearest seat, uncaring that it had a nice burn mark taking a chunk out of it. Weiss moved over to the two of them, and rather than take a seat on any of the plastic benches, she just sunk down to the dusty ground, uncaring for her dress that had numerous spots and stains and would be a total loss. She was just thankful that none of the red ones were hers.

Ruby did likewise, sitting down and hugging her knees as she rested her back on the metal banister. She knew that she had done the right thing. Many people were probably saved thanks to their efforts. They could not dwell on the ones that weren't. But that still did not help with the words that she wanted to speak to her team. She was all out of those.

"Hey."

The single word greeting drew their eyes over to an approaching figure. Blake softly walked up to them, noticeably not limping any more. But they could clearly see she had not been idle in their absence. Her own clothing and skin was smudged with all manner of grime, and her hands were caked in soot and bodily fluids. Still, the three of them offered their friend a smile, and Yang patted the mostly intact seat next to her, to which Blake obliged the offer and lowered herself carefully into its faded blue plastic.

The now complete team then sat there, each lost in their own thoughts and unsure of what could be said. Once again, the responsibility fell to someone else, and they were grateful.

"Girls."

The greeting came from the opposite direction Blake had come from and they all with varying speeds of cognizance turned their attention to the newcomer. Not even the stern visage of Glynda Goodwitch made all the more sever by the situation as the horrors they all had witnessed that day could do much to antagonize them further. It's hard to fall when you've already hit rock bottom.

"We'll get back to it in a minute Ms. Goodwitch." Ruby offered wearily to their professor turned officer in this scenario. The others did not even acknowledge the woman after catching sight of her. It was all they could do to keep their minds from falling into a depressive whirlpool. They all looked particularly despondent to the veteran huntress. Not that she could blame them. It was a far cry from the delinquent girls she had chastised just a few weeks ago for starting a food fight that had grown to encompass the whole cafeteria.

"It's alright girls, rest while you can. You deserve it."

This was unexpected and drew the attention of the rest of the team who looked at the normally cold and strict professor who had a small but kindly smile on her face, offering them rare words of praise and whatever consolation her professionalism could provide them.

"You did good work today. Many people were saved thanks to you. Never forget that."

Balanced at the precipice of darkness, this modest compliment was nonetheless sincere and it helped to reign in their dark thoughts for a little while at least. Ruby even adopted a small smile of her own in recognition of her own accomplishments.

"Thank you Ms. Goodwitch."

The woman nodded and was about to turn away, but a callous chuckle slicing through the gloom stopped her dead and she whirled back around, looking far up into the darkened stands, her hand shooting out to grasp her crop. This action caused team RWBY to jump out of their stupor, and they too were suddenly on alert, fatigue temporarily forgotten as a new danger possibly presented itself. Hands all sought grips of weapons with the sight of a foreboding shade far up in the darkness.

Blake's hand faltered, though. She could see through the gloom and the familiar sight stopped her actions dead.

Not him. Not now. Was this because she ignored the warnings? All of the events conspiring around her had urged her to come clean once and for all. But fear kept dogging her, and now it had caught up.

"It's a touching scene-really it is. It almost makes it worth it."

The blonde woman replaced her bitter scowl upon this. "You there! Identify yourself. This is an emergency situation, and as such I am authorized to use force if I deem it necessary to keep the peace."

The others could not hear his reply, but Blake could, and she knew he wanted her to.

"You're going to need every ounce of it."

But after what the rest of them heard of as silence, the silhouette raised its hands and took a deliberate step down towards them. They all tensed, but nothing came.

"You know," the man began as he took a few more careful steps down out of the darkness. "I was really quite annoyed to be called here on such short notice. I was pretty miffed actually, I had other plans for today, and I really had to rush to put everything together. If there is one thing I hate, it's being rushed. When you rush, you make mistakes and when you make mistakes…people die."

During his little monologue the man got closer and closer to the group who became more and more perturbed by this nonchalance that was clearly a ruse. Glynda was half-tempted to simply trap the speaker in a crystal prison and be done with it, sort things out later. But something else was screaming at her honed instincts. She wasn't sure if the others were aware, but in the darkness all around them hordes of presences were spawning themselves into her mindfulness. It might not yet be wise to make any sudden moves.

When he got close enough for the small fires dotting the coliseum to show him clearly they immediately gleaned onto the bone-white mask adorning his face, accentuating the small horns poking out of his blood red hair. That, and the menacing looking katana strapped to his hip. It was a formidable image to be sure, but the mask keyed them in onto one crucial fact, that he was part of the White Fang. It could neither be a coincidence, nor good for them.

"Adam…"

Though it was barely above a whisper, the man heard it and smirked.

"It's good to see you again Blake. Now at least I can understand why you left us. Clearly we were not enough for you. You wanted to be treated as an equal, to have everyone treated the same. Well, as you can see…." He spread his arms embracing the catastrophe in its entirety. "This is the real price of equality."

While the others were still too stunned at the figure's knowledge about their teammate and were busy trying to work out the why and how, something else was evolving in the mind of their friend. The shock and hollow fear that had overcome her upon first seeing her old comrade gave way to a burning hatred. It started as a flicker smaller than the one lighting their confrontation, before it suddenly ignited on a reservoir of pent-up anger and frustration. Before anyone could say anything to the contrary, she had shot half-way up to where the man named Adam still stood casually, Gambol Shroud unsheathed and a primal scream tearing through the night.

Before all her onlooking comrades she leapt over the many rows of seats between her and her target. The blade was poised for a killing strike chambered over her shoulder and aimed to be launched at the horrible mask. In a flash, two things happened, equal action and reaction, Blake's blade shot out and Adam intercepted the lethal blow with the hilt of his sheathed sword. The rage on the woman's face was matched only by a mild amusement in the man's twitch of the mouth.

"Still the same old Blake."

Faster than any of them could see his leg shot out and imbedded itself in the woman's stomach. All of the air in her lungs left her as she was hurled back down to her stunned teammates and strait into Goodwitch who was obliged to catch the poor girl turned into a ragdoll.

"I really thought I taught you better, Blake." The others turned their attention back from their coldly dispatched friend and to the mysterious and dangerous stranger.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know Blake?!" Yang yelled at the man who returned to once again looking almost bored, all of her previous crisis put on hold for dealing with the asshole that was messing with her teammate.

"It figures Blake didn't tell you about me. I got the impression that when she left us she wanted to cut all ties. Oh well, I suppose that doesn't matter now." In a flash his sword was out and live, a dull red glow illuminated the area that was about to become a battlefield. In its dim light, the others could now see the creeping figures picking their way down silently from the upper entrances. There were dozens of them, hundreds even, like an infestation of ants spewing out from their hole. Grimm-like ants, ants with bone white carapaces and heads, and armed to the teeth in all manner of weapons. Goodwitch while still cradling the woman still trying desperately to catch her breath, raised her riding crop defensively and subtly activated an emergency beacon hidden in the fold of her skirt.

"I cannot afford to have any loose ties either. We are only given one life in which to make our impression, and we cannot afford to let our purpose be unraveled by poor convictions. I wanted her back once, but she has made her choice, and time is up."

* * *

It did not matter that they made it there in record time, they knew upon breaking out of the tree line and into the once finely manicured lawn of the school grounds that their, along with everyone they sought to protect, time was up. The three of them could perform feats bordering on the miraculous, but even they could not help but feel dwarfed by the series of disasters they were now confronted with.

The once proud school was in ruin. Even if they each had harbored their own opinions regarding the gaudiness of the architecture, it was unquestionably a tragedy seeing the hard-worked stones scattered and piled across the grass tearing deep brown gouges in its surface. The tower that had been as a namesake to the academy, once a beacon of hope now cut down like a flower reaching too high for the sun. And in this now hospitable landscape, the latest architectural addition stood jammed into the center, relatively intact given to its mobile construction. But it too had seen better days. The exterior shelves where they had stood not a few minutes ago had been broken off and eft the rest of the exterior smooth, except for a single large semi-spherical crater where once the Atlesian cruiser had been wedged.

But this post-mortem scene was the least of their concerns. They could do nothing to help their comrades presumably still residing in the now defunct structure. Not until they passed the veritable sea of darkness between them and their goal. They had a hard time ascertaining what exactly they were looking at, at first. The shadows cast by the many sporadic fires appeared to be playing tricks on them, until it all made a sickening and darkly ironic sense.

"W-what is that?"

Pyrrha was having the hardest time comprehending the totality of destruction and doom they were now bearing witness to. True, it was hard to sort out what was what in the amalgamated mess that had resulted in the collision, but she was in fact referring to the writhing barrier between the three of them and what remained of the academy that they hoped still contained their objective.

"That," Sasuke began with a deep grimace breaking through the floor and giving away all hope. "Is a horde of possibly every Grimm in the Emerald Forest."

They were so densely packed and at home in the darkness that it had been hard to identify them as individuals at first, but it soon became evident to all of them that the teen's assessment was all too true. They had not encountered any Grimm upon landing, nor on the way here, because they had already arrived ahead of them. Attracted as they were to negative emotions, this tragedy, this massive loss of life and upwelling of sorrow and indignation was a beacon in the night for the creatures that fed on the darker aspects of the soul.

Individually, the Grimm were little problem for any of the three of them. In packs, they proved nuisances. Alphas, experienced Grimm who had lived long enough to become both strong and smart were a real challenge. What they saw now was unquantifiable. Dozens, scores of packs and just as many hulking Alphas of every species identifiable peeking out from the black ocean were writhing and threatening to wash over the broken structure. It was only a matter of minutes before they began to crawl over the broken lip of the downed stadium.

There was nothing they could do to stop it. Had they stayed with the others, they might have been able to help them fight their way out, set up some kind of defense or barrier. It would still have been poor odds, but at least they would be with their teammates, their friends when they died. Out here they would be nothing but a woodpecker whittling away at the trunk of an oak. No matter how fast they took them out, more would no doubt replace them, and as soon as they began attacking, the Grimm nearest to them would pay attention and quickly overrun them. As far as they could see, the situation was hopeless. They had failed before they had even started.

But in the silence that reigned after the crash of their shattered hopes, they began to notice a strange pattern in the Grimm's advance. If they were like a river washing over the landscape, there were two stones causing eddies and whirlpools in their course. There were the ones climbing up and around the circumference of the stadium, but there was another anomaly, a swirl of bodies near the base of where the tower once stood.

And in the center, a flicker. Just for a moment. But there it was again. And again. Orange and green, throwing off drops of Grimm in every direction. The flickering became more frequent, faster. Suddenly, a hand reached out, grasping for air. A form, decidedly not Grimm shot out of the epicenter, followed closely by a comet escaping Earth's gravity.

There was a dance of fireflies in the air above the undulating sea. And the bodies of the Grimm were responding in kind, leaping and slashing futilely into the air trying to reach either of the two forms weaving in and out of one another, casting sparks of their individual colors back and forth. Whatever this display was, it was setting the Grimm off almost as much as the catastrophe not a stone's throw away. It was inconceivable to imagine what sort of event could produce such a reaction from the near-mindless beast.

But Sasuke at last recognized half of the scene transpiring in front of them. His own mixed relationship with flames made sure he could never forget that particular brand after it threatened to consume him and Blake in the conflagration.

"It's that woman." The other two pried themselves away from the torrent of beasts to their very serious looking partner. "Cinder."

The name meant little to nothing to Pyrrha, but she understood it to be one of the people aforementioned who was deemed such a threat to have even a respected figure such as General Ironwood worried.

To Naruto, though, the mere mention of the woman's name opened a rusty door he thought he had deadbolted long ago. But with all that had transpired, the age and corrosion had been worn away, and the door all too easy to fling open once again. He could not help the drops of crimson that began to trickle into his eyes.

Though they had been standing at the edge of the forest, unbeknown to the Grimm for some time, this tiniest of drops of the Kyuubi's Chakra ignorantly called upon, was like a thunderclap in silence to these soulless beasts.

A dozen or so heads turned to their direction.

The three tensed as whatever plan of action they had been formulating was now tossed out the window. Their time was up, and they had to make a decision fast. Fight or flight became the only two options available to them. They chose violence.

Quick as a whip the Amazonian matched the charge of the bulkier than normal Beowulf that had decided it wanted the first bite out of these tiny morsels. And true to their nature as well as their word, Naruto and Sasuke followed right after, taking up arms against the other creatures which broke from the super-pack and threatened their charge from either side.

Within seconds of this action, they became mired in the fight. Slashes and stabs flowed one after the other in every direction and all too soon the three of them found themselves deep in the tar-like ocean, their previous position on dry land no longer visible. No matter how hard they fought, no matter the scores of Grimm taken down handily left, right and backwards by the capable students, more flooded in behind them to take up the gaps. Back to back to back, weapons drawn and held defensively, they knew their situation was untenable.

It was three individuals against the world of darkness, no matter how skilled they were, they knew they were mortal and that that particular weakness was about to be tested. No fear was present in any of their minds. There was no time for this, nor even for regret at any of their actions, those taken or those passed up. And just as running had never been an option, neither was giving up. Now, or ever.

As he fought on and on, Naruto a different emotion began to percolate into his conscious. He found himself relishing in the bloodshed, no matter how ephemeral. The feeling of his blade slipping through bone and flesh, the sounds of those pained howls, the scent wafting up through his nostrils as the black blood was spilt on the freshly cut grass. Naruto was in hell. Naruto was in paradise.

He looked back to his comrades dealing with their own ample share of the fight. He saw Pyrrha heave a charging Borbatusk up and over her shield before skewering its companion right behind and then withdrawing her implement and throwing it, using her semblance to whip the hardened spear through several more bodies before it looped back to her hand. Given a moment's reprieve, she turned to her blond comrade. Her look of determination changed.

He saw her fear.

Not the fear of Grimm, though their numbers were very apparently becoming insurmountable. But fear of him.

He did not need to look at his warped reflection in the pool of black blood sublimating rapidly at his feet. He knew then what had happened, what had changed to cause the creatures of Grimm to so suddenly abandon their previous target. Finally, the half-growls, half-whimpers of the demon fox became audible to him, as the din of battle faded away.

He nearly lost his grip on his sword in that moment, nearly let Godaime fall to the grass, better to be stained by the earth and bile than be stained by his impure hands. For it was all too obvious then, that it had been he who had announced their presence. It was him, and him alone.

Sasuke and himself. Both had shared equal parts culpability in the preceding months. Each had been complacently letting things happen, letting themselves be used. But now, he had decided to take the initiative, and Sasuke had followed loyally. So had Pyrrha. Had his quickly formed thoughts doomed her, as well as the rest of this world.

Ever since that night he first learned of Cinder's true nature, learned one of the many secrets Ozpin had been keeping from them, from the whole world, he had silently questioned his own role in this world. He felt as small as a pebble, and yet that pebble continued to wedge itself in the gears that turned this world, threatening to derail them all. In their own time it seemed inevitable that he and Sasuke would always be at odds, dark and light, Ying and Yang, equal parts. It did not matter if you called them right and wrong, good or bad, the two were part of the same whole and could not exist without the other. In this new place, in this world turned upside down, was he now the one destined to doom them all, and Sasuke now their savior?

Oh the irony that would be.

But what had held true in their own world, also seemed to at least form a loose weave of truth in this current one. It had not been the emigration from one place to another that had changed him. It had been his actions, it had been his lost decisions all along that had, and would continue to define him. He was still Uzumaki Naruto, if only he would allow himself to be.

He saw in Pyrrha's shocked state that she did not recognize the low approach of a King Taijitu, its two halves weaving in and out of the other rambunctious bodies. He saw what he had to do, what he should have done a long time ago.

Not tightening the tiny trickle of the fox's chakra into his system, he charged strait towards his gawping ward and the snake's intended target. He was in control now, but smirked reflexively at the thought that he was running once again headlong into the mouth of a snake. But the outcome would be different this time. He was not about to get eaten.

But not today.

Not now, at least.

He ignored the fact that as he passed her, the redhead was almost shivering as she tracked his movement across the field. She had every right to be afraid of him, as he had been. He just hoped that he would get a chance to make things right again.

The snake faithfully latched onto him as a much more appetizing target, and shifted its course mid-lunge to try and snap the blond up whole. But this was as he expected, and he was determined not to be a midnight snack for the reptilian Grimm. He dodged to the side, waited for it to reacquire its target and dodged again when the other head took its turn. He repeated this process, each time moving further and further away from his teammates even as he lead the fixated beast inexorably towards the last known location of their target.

As he did this, he opened the valve ever so slightly again and again on the now steady stream of the Kyuubi's chakra entering his system. He could feel the beast's indignation and fear, and apologized for his actions which he knew were the only way to save his two friends, and hopefully the rest of them still trapped in the collapsed craft.

He turned his attention mostly away from trying to tie the snake(s) on his heel into knots, and instead focused on where he was going, or more importantly, where he would lead the rest of the Grimm that were now very much more intrigued in this flare of unadulterated hatred which had arisen in their midst. Catching sight of the rim of the arena now thoroughly covered with the large, black bodies, as well as some smaller black and white bodies apparently, he aimed himself ninety degrees to the right of this, and leapt once more into the breech.

Cutting and slashing with metal and wind both as he went, he swore he could catch the diminishing cries of his two compatriots in the back of all the howls and shrieks that surrounded him. He swore they were calling his name. Good. As long as they were calling his name, they were still alive, and hopefully in less danger now that he was the target for the majority of ravenous monstrosities.

He chuckled slightly to himself at this description. It was his own monstrous part that lead to their current predicament. It might also be what got them out of it.

Might. Could be. Maybe. Sometimes. Both.

Black and white.

Good and bad.

Right and wrong.

If they were real, they were within grasp. If they were illusions, they were free for the taking. He could not win, he would not lose.

Either way, any way, he was making his choice tonight. The only thing he could not live with was regret.


	28. Ultimate

**No, I'm not dead yet, you can't have my liver, I'm still using it. Come back later.**

 **Yeah, this is what happens when I can't get to writing what I want on a regular basis, you get this flood of words. Sort of like how you want to masturbate regularly, or you explode. I just haven't been in the right mindset to do so. That is what I meant when I said last time that I was not inspired. It is just a bit too hard to reconcile this fantasy world when I am reading about real life cases where thousands of people are dying, being raped and tortured. Yeah, not exactly pleasant, but that is life. Which is why we need fiction.**

 **It's also why I love you guys! Thank you everyone so much for your kind words!**

 **As always, Follow the Code , you are the one with the only actual questions, but I hope that this chapter will satisfy most of them. I will say that more of that trust issue is still there, but it is kind of crisis at the moment and they all have very little option but to trust one another, right now that is. Not even I am sure what is going to happen when time comes to pick up the pieces.**

 **kurama587** **thank you! I am glad that this scene came off alright. It is always hard to extrapolate something like that without ever having seen it yourself. You can only interpret so much and was second guessing myself the whole time, thinking I may have overdone it (or not done enough).**

 **Pandaman32470** **I am humbled by your approval. Quite a few people have convinced me that I tend to focus a bit too much on a single scene and my descriptive language can be taxing. Although, I myself find I like those dense paragraphs tend to be more interesting, I see their points, and I'm just glad to receive a converse opinion!  
**

 **Don't worry AC3Rarin, like I said before, I'm in this for the long haul! Can't get rid of me that easily!**

 **Kampai!**

* * *

He could do nothing but watch as the black curtains fell in that film noir world, swallowing up the technicolor image of his teammate and with him the last vestiges of hope that the situation would come out alright. The sea of blackness flowed in their wake after his incessant beckoning, the beasts threatening to swallow them suddenly found these prickly morsels much less appealing. And with a few parting snaps at their bladed weapons, at one time the only thing keeping them at bay, the Grimm turned their backs on the remaining two fighters.

Sasuke could no more prevent the fleeing of the spectral beasts than he could catch the retreating tide with his hands. And he could do no more than watch as the sole island of his reality was swallowed up by the black night.

Common sense told him that there was nothing to be done, but commonplace had by this time fallen far out of fashion and he found his body sprinting after the swishing whip-like tails as the Grimm turned their backs on him. Sense went the way of commonality, and he found himself overcome with all manner of emotions which superseded logic. So many that he was familiar with, anger, frustration, indignation. But there was one he felt undercutting them all which was painfully nostalgic and the one which jerked the muscles in his arms and legs, running and slashing at the backs of the beasts as they suddenly deemed him insignificant quarry in comparison to his fleeing teammate.

Betrayal.

He knew what Naruto was up to, having both glimpsed and felt the brief and scorching flair of the Nine-Tail's Chakra. He knew, or should have known that the blond's propensity for heroics would have drove him to do something like this, but beyond the frustration he felt at this reckless action, he could not stave off that cold bite of fear as his comrade marched off to certain martyrdom. How could he leave him here? How could he abandon Sasuke to this foreign world, expect him to carry on for the both of them?

The both of them.

Sasuke paused as the atomizing body of a Boarbatusk slid off his blade and froze as the beast's comrades shot him a series of growls and incensed snorts before once again turning their backs to him. Glancing over his shoulder, he spied the red-tinged visage of the other person to accompany them on this devil's errand, her expression a whirlpool of shock and incredulity at the sight of so many Grimm suddenly becoming disinterested in their pursuit and giving her a wide berth as they lumbered off to chase the alluring scent they had just caught whiff of.

The fist clenching his sword quivered as he struggled to tear himself away from his body's urging him following his teammate into the maw, and his more rational and dutiful nature prodding him to retreat back to Pyrrha's position to try and make some sort of rational plan as to what to do then.

But those two parts of him were at a standstill. There was a darkness in himself as well, urging him to turn his back on the woman and leave her to her own fate. It was no doubt obvious to every one of them now that she had become superfluous at this point, the Fall Maiden no doubt having been lost along with the school she lay under. And if she herself did not recognize it, Sasuke would have lost the carefully stacked respect that he had accumulated for the Amazonian. Besides, with the Grimm taking no more interest in them now than the grass upon which they tread, she would be perfectly safe as long as she was no longer with them.

It was he, Sasuke, who was in danger. It was something he had feared since even before Naruto had volunteered his sacrifice to free up his path home, but something he had only acknowledged recently. Without Naruto, he would be totally alone, not only in this world, but in every one of them. And that was something he feared worse than defeat, worse than death.

But he could not chase after his friend, either. If he were to truly admit that title to him, he knew that Naruto would never forgive him for abandoning his mission. Abandoning their comrade.

Pyrrha herself alleviated him from making that decision. She caught his backwards gaze with her own, and Sasuke saw the glimmer of fear shattering her otherwise immutable conviction. He knew what had caused it, what she had seen and he could not blame her. Despite this, however, she somehow jogged over to him, running back into the darkness, instead of out. A wet blanket of shame extinguished his fire.

Compared to her, he was still so weak.

Her eyes were still fixated on the sea of Grimm that had once again treated them as part of the scenery as she spoke to his downcast stare.

"Sasuke… what was that?"

He could not meet her inquisitive eyes as he stared at the back of his clenched eyelids.

"The idiot is going to confront her. He is drawing the Grimm off for us."

It was a non-answer, all of that Pyrrha could surmise with her own two eyes. He did not know if he should, if he could explain to her what the blond was attempting to do. He was not sure if he himself knew that Naruto had a plan more than sacrificing his own safety giving them an opening to escape. Still, he might not be strong in his own convictions, but he would honor those of his teammate and keep the people he cared about safe. It was the least he could do, to honor his memory. He would take Naruto's secret to the grave, if he had to, so that at least in one world the boy could be seen as the hero he deserved to be.

"Naruto is giving us a chance to escape. We should go back to the stadium and see if we can help-"

"NO!"

Sasuke's eyes shot open and he was confronted with the coldest stare he had ever seen on the Spartan warrior's face. His mouth froze agape and the words that had been perched there fell back on his lips. He was caught dumbfounded, but he tried to pretest.

"Pyrrha, there's nothing we can-"

"No."

Much less animosity, but no loss of conviction as she shook her head in the negative.

"Sasuke," She spoke his name and fixed him with a look that curdled the bile in his throat, reimbuing him with that shameful feeling again. "He's our friend. We have to go after him." Her tone was much less callous than his own, but was far more commanding than he could be at the moment.

He had no idea what to say to this. They were his words, what he should have said. What he should have been doing instead of wallowing in his own sense of fatalism. Despite this, he was an Uchiha, he needed to be the one making the level-headed decisions. He already knew there was nothing much he could do to help out his comrade in this situation. Cinder had easily bested him at his own game, and the two of them would only serve as distractions in what was sure to be a battle of titans. At the valley of the end, Sasuke had glimpsed a fraction of the Kyuubi's awesome power. This time, Naruto was surely not going to pull any punches.

"You don't understand," he tried insisting to her, but felt as if he was trying to sway himself. "we will be nothing but a hindrance if we try and follow him." His own pride took a severe blow admitting this, but it was far less painful than knowing he was right. "Naruto is…" his fist clenched around the leather-wrapped hilt of his sword-an extension of himself that still remained nameless. "Naruto is stronger than we are, he is the only one who can make a difference now."

Encapsulated in a sea of writhing dark emotions, the Fall maiden probably lost, and with it their modicum of hope of defeating the monster Cinder had become. Sasuke was not even sure if Naruto did stand a chance of victory if Ozpin and everyone else had failed before him.

Pyrrha shook her head once again and reached out to clasp his arm. He looked away reflexively trying to eschew her gaze. In response, she released his arm and instead grabbed the collar of his Haori quite forcibly and jerked the young man so that he once again faced her, shock at the brazen action shining through the darkness.

"Sasuke!" She accosted him with admonishment, but also with fierce fortitude. "What is wrong with you?"

He was broken, couldn't she see that? They were all broken as the moon that hovered above them in a sea of crying stars. Hope had abandoned him a long time ago and he had been running on fumes. Since before he could remember, he had just been putting one foot in front of the other, following the trail left for him by the blond, and it was only recently that he began to realize that even Naruto did not know where he was going. It was the blind leading the blind and at this particular juncture, where everything seemed ready to crumble he had lost reason to keep pushing forward.

"How can you just let your friend run off into danger like that and not even try to help him?"

Because it doesn't matter, nothing they did seemed to change anything. They were insignificant in this world and the previous, and the next in all likelihood. Despite the demon accompanying his every step, despite the curse mark doggedly etched into his neck, they might as well be alone.

Seeing that Sasuke could not respond to her provocation, Pyrrha dropped the blank-faced boy and sighed to herself, looking past him and to the wall the Grimm had formed between them and the jagged tooth that was the remains of the school's once proud tower. She had no idea how she was going to get past that, but there was no question as to her trying. She sidestepped the immobile shinobi and took a few paces more towards the insurmountable obstacle.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Pyrrha asked with as much sarcasm as she had ever used in a lifetime. "I'm trying to follow our teammate."

"I can't let you do that."

She whipped back around at this and looked at him upset for more than one reason. Still, he was not about to relent that easily.

"I promised I would keep you safe." And if the dobe was going to go get himself killed, he had to at the very least keep his word for him, and make sure the redhead didn't go marching off into danger. Not because her life was precious to Ozpin and his stories, but because he knew that she was precious in some way to Naruto.

"Fine," She acknowledged with a tight-lipped nod. "You can protect me, but you are going to have to keep up!" She spun on her heel and started to march towards the baying mass of Grimm that scrunched themselves around the ruined tower and the ongoing lightshow above their heads.

Dammit.

Sasuke felt himself lunge after the determined woman and latch on to her arm. She halted immediately and he felt a tension in his chest as she looked about ready to forcibly remove him from her appendage. He let go before she had to use any extreme measures.

"Sasuke, please do not try and stop me." Her expression softened a fraction then, and it was the hint of pity that manifested itself that struck a chord deep inside of him. "Being able to take a life is not what makes you different than us. What makes you different… what separates you two from the rest of us isn't that you see the harshness of reality. We all do. We all see it, but we choose to deal with it a different way. Separating yourself from other people allows you to do things, but it doesn't make you strong." She squared up and faced Sasuke head on, and for the first time he felt dwarfed by her presence. "It's your comrades, your friends that make you strong. I don't know why you two want so badly to separate yourselves from us, but just so you know, that's not what we want."

This admission shocked Sasuke. He could not fathom why, nor could he imagine those thoughts running through the heads of any of their fellow classmates, even team RWBY, let alone the redhead in front of him to whom they had made few overtures of friendship towards.

"We want… we want to be your friends. We want you to be our friends, and to trust us as we trust you." She shook her head and gestured with Miló to the areal battle taking place above the smoldering wreckage and gnashing mouths of thousands of Grimm. "You say that you want to help us, by defeating our enemy. But that isn't something you can do for us. If this Cinder is really as much our enemy as you say she is, then we all have a part in stopping her. It isn't something any one of us can do alone." She reached out and rested her open palm on Sasuke's shoulder.

"That's the whole purpose of being on teams, that's the whole reason we are all at Beacon. It's so that we never have to fight alone. I might not be able to do much, but that won't keep me from trying. Now, are you going to help me going to help me get over there?" Her grip tightened on his shoulder not yet painful. "Because I'm not going to let you stand in my way."

He did not break the locked stare they were sharing, her emerald gems grinding into his stony expression. She had not succeeded in inspiring him, but he was a blank slate, all other arguments having been swept aside.

"What would you have me do? I really can't see a way past those Grimm, even if they are ignoring us."

Pyrrha sighed and released his shoulder as she turned back around to face surmounting their current problem.

"To be honest, I haven't really thought that far yet." She shook her head. "Even if they are ignoring us now, I doubt they'd let us pass, or take too kindly to us leaping on their backs. We'd just about need a pair of wings to get us over there."

A single candle illuminated the hallway recently vacated of frustration and hopelessness. Sasuke bathed in that single ray, and though he could not see the walls nor doors that surely must be there, he could now at the very least see where to place his first steps towards a way out.

"Wings huh?"

* * *

Heartbeats like a flutter of wings and the infestation descended upon them.

Adam stood perched on his pedestal, one leg propped up on a seatback as his underlings rushed downwards to fill this quarter of the stadium. The prepared members of team RWBY met them head on as they tried to force their way through the oncoming tide to reach the ringleader detachedly watching as they summarily defeated one White Fang grunt after the other, only to be confronted by a seemingly never-ending stream of them erupting from the stadium's entrances and dropping down from the bent overhang.

Goodwitch, still with one arm slung underneath Blake as she struggled to catch her breath, whipped her riding crop across a row of seats in front of her sending them flying like plastic shuriken at a nearby group. Some of the compressed plastic seats were cut down before they could reach their target, but the surprise attack caught more than a few White Fang infantrymen off-guard and sent them sprawling onto the stairs, forcing those behind them to try and scramble over their fallen comrades.

Meantime, the previously spurned cat-Faunus found her footing again, and before Glynda could do anything to mitigate her, Blake leapt back onto her feet and once again shot straight out at Adam Taurus.

"Ms. Belladonna!"

But the woman to whom she spoke was all but deaf to everything else that was happening around her, sight and hearing gone myopic in her goal to remove the man in front of her from her waking dreams and nightmares. She leapt from seatback to seatback, zigzagging the distance between them, not bothering to block the swipes taken at her by neophytes hoping to get a lucky shot at the huntress, and in some cases using their over-extended bodies as springboards to further her along to her goal.

The respite to catch her breath had allowed her time to gather her emotions into a loose bundle, still threatening to spill over, but stable enough now to let her think of how to defeat the man that she had admittedly never before even been able to scratch.

Gambol Shroud left her grip and the blade went careening at the immutable man who with a flick of the wrist sent the projectile off to the side and almost lazily leaned back to avoid the double-tap that was sent his way from the other half of the weapon. At the third shot, his blade flicked up again to bisect the lead projectile and he casually deflected the next few shots as Blake emptied her clip at him to cover her upward assault.

She had a surprise in store for him though, as the last round in her magazine was an especially potent fire-dust round, which she aimed not directly at Adam, but rather to his left. She saw a quirked eyebrow as he regarded the misplaced-shot, thinking before he instinctively blocked the round, sensing something amiss. But even though he did not block it, the round detonated next to him temporarily blinding him from his adversary in a cloud of combustion and dust.

Blake leapt up into the air at the same moment she jerked back on the ribbon holding her blade on the other side. She felt the blade wedge itself between two seatbacks, and she drew herself forward in a single movement, lashing out with a kick at Adam's face, exposed on this side as he raised his guard in defense of the explosion on his other side.

But the man was not to be caught off guard so easily. He caught her stiletto heal with his blade, and with a flick of his wrist and a push, shoved the woman off of him. He followed up the deflection with swipe that grazed Blake's nose as she leaned back. She was forced to leap back as the man moved from his spot for the first time in the fight, taking a vertical swipe at her.

She blocked the follow up with her own blade that she recovered from where she had leapt, spinning around in the narrow footpath between rows to strike at Adam with her sheath. His other hand came up to block this with the metal body of Blush, and taking another step towards his former ally, he shot the sheath as it passed, jerking her arm forward before taking another swipe at her with the katana in his right.

The shocked face of the other Faunus disappeared in rain of water as the blade passed through her, and Adam stepped up onto another seatback as he pirouetted to block the low strike coming from behind him. He hopped back again and landed with as much grace as Blake herself could probably muster on the railing in the middle of the isle. Balancing his blade behind him, he proceeded to empty his magazine at the black flame once again disappearing into the lingering cloud of dust and debris.

He frowned as he lost sight of her. It was impossible to track her by sound and smell as the helter-skelter of battle raged all around them. They were at a standstill for now, it seemed, his White Fang army not coming close to the skill displayed by the huntsmen and huntresses holding their ground, but he was more than confident that their numbers would win out. It would be simple for him to turn the tide once he finished up his own business, and then it was only a matter of time before they overran them.

The spent magazine dropped to the floor with a barely distinguishable clatter, and before he could feed another clip in, a blast accompanied by a soul-shattering scream washed in to the arena, temporarily halting all combat. Adam smirked as he heard the sound. It was later than expected, but now victory was assured with that monstrous cry of indignation.

Sadly, that would mean nothing if he himself did not survive. He hopped off the railing as the vertical bars were clipped and the whole length of metal tubing fell off to one side. He raised his blade horizontal, blocking an angry vertical slash coming down at him from a few steps above. With his other hand he reached behind him to feed another magazine in to his rifle.

Blake struck down on his braced sword with Gambol Shroud's sheath, knocking his defense to the side before she swept the two weapons in a horizontal attack at the man as he was forced to take a step back. She had the height advantage now, at least for the moment.

But still, that only served to make things more interesting, and Adam would show Blake just how weak she was in comparison to him. He would show her how his conviction was immeasurably more powerful than her lofty morals.

He blocked the retaliatory strike from the other blade as Blake chambered the sheath for a follow up. He then proceeded to show her just how much of difference there was between them as he stepped up with follow up slash, forcing the woman back up a step. He did not stop there, however. Not giving her a chance to recover her footing or leave her an opening, Adam pressed the upward assault against the black woman and gravity itself as he unrelentingly struck out at her.

She was able to block or dodge all the strikes but at the cost of her sure footing, as she continued to step up and back, and suddenly came up short, her foot grasping out at a step that wasn't there as she came upon the isle way. The gut swallowing feeling that came with the short step was exacerbated as Adam thrust the barrel of Blush into her stomach and immediately pulled the trigger.

She manifested her fire clone quickly enough to avoid being shot point blank, but still had to once again find her breath as she managed to fling herself just out of arm's reach of her superior. Her back hit the concrete steps unmercifully, the sharp corners digging into her shoulder blades deeply with the majority of her Aura being used to prevent internal damage from the frontal assault.

The flash and bang erupting in front of the raging bull did very little to slow him down as he pierced through the dissipating cloud in a thrust that would surely penetrate through whatever meager protection she had left. There was nothing she could do but watch the blood red blade as it cut through the charred air as surely as light through clear glass. But she did see this, could not see her impending doom, for her eyes were locked with the fathomless black slits where she had thought up until the very end the person she had once known was still trapped in the inescapable gravity of duty.

"Not today!"

Blake had to shield her eyes as another blast erupted in between Adam and herself, a fiery red vortex giving way to a tangle mane of golden locks and indignation. The explosive strike force Adam back down a step, but Yang was not satisfied with being a one trick pony. She summarily extracted her fist from where she had embedded it elbow-deep in the concrete and spun on her heal, lashing out with her unspent and readied other arm.

The back fist met with air though, as Adam bobbed underneath it, but even as soon as he sought to retaliate with a defensive slash, Yang followed through with her combo and her armored fist met the hilt of his sword within the jarring uppercut. And for the first time she had ever witnessed, Blake saw Adam stumble.

If she could have seen her partner's face, there would surely be a Cheshire grin taking first prize as Yang too saw this misstep and aimed to capitalize on it. Her right hand met the after-swing of her uppercut and the conglomerate of fists were encapsulated in an undulating red ball of heated Aura under extreme pressure. The hammer-strike came down and everything in front of the two women was lost to a veritable wall of umber colored Aura mixed with the gray dust from the stadium.

Blake struggled to prop herself up on her elbows as Yang's gaze flickered warily back and forth in the resulting dust storm, especially cautious recognizing that her explosive strike had not directly hit her target. Breathing returned to its high-water mark as Blake got her legs underneath her once more, but between the period of briefly looking down and back up again as she struggled to her feet, she caught a black whisper in the shadows off to Yang's right.

"YA-!"

Her cry of warning, hoping to repay the quick save her teammate had just affected, was cut short as Adam once again managed to insert himself in the small space between the two. Yang whirled around to face the re-initiated attack, but was moments too slow as The cutting edge of Wilt descended upon her. She raised her arm just in time to block the strike, had this been the intention. The interval was too short for Adam to have charged up his finishing move, so he opted instead for an obvious feint. His custom leather shoe shot out into Yang's gut and she crumpled in on herself as she was sent sprawling several rows away into the crepe-lighted stands.

The bull's gaze turned back to his original quarry, but he saw only red as he re-sheathed his blade in preparation for an especially fast strike. But even as he approached the crouched woman almost faster than her eye could see, his blade was drawn and he immediately spun on his heel, the crimson extension of himself reaching out to grab on to a blue ball of charged energy.

He parried the shot to the side with a quick flick, and was soon forced to repeat the process as another prickly ball, green this time, erupted from where she could not see.

Adam was clearly undaunted though, as he took a lazy step down with his sword swing trailing behind him, coming to rest perpendicular to his chest as well as a needlepoint blade which wanted to make him into a kebab.

"Hah!"

Weiss let out a primal cry as she began her assault, crossing blades with the White Fang leader in a duel that she should have known she had little chance of winning. Still, she admirably put up a fight, capitalizing on the lack of room their battleground afford them, and used her lesser height to advantage by hopping and weaving in and out of Adam's strike zone. She was aiming to take away his range advantage and was actually managing to stymy his technique by forcing him to maneuver his longer blade within the tight confines of the stairway.

But Blake was not about to let her comrade take this kind of risk alone. She had already reset herself in her stance, and simply awaited an opportune moment to strike where she would not hit her teammate. Which now proved to be slightly difficult, as the advantage Weiss was hoping to press meant that she was constantly within the crosshairs as well.

Still, they had not become teammates yesterday, and this situation was not unfamiliar to the two women. As Weiss backed off to avoid a potentially finishing horizontal strike from Adam, Blake seized the opportunity and leapt up and over the man to take up the place occupied by her teammate. A cat which always landed on its feet, she twisted in air and descended upon her former comrade in arms with all guns ablaze. Her heel came down first as Adam raised his sword to defend the axe-kick. But Blake drew back her leg mid swing, knocking Wilt forward and exposing his guard. Gambol and Shroud both came down then following her body aiming to finish the man.

But this was too obvious a ploy for the skilled swordsman, and Blush came up to intercept the strikes. And with a heave up and into her, Blake was thrown off and back down where she nonetheless landed in a readied crouch.

Only for Weiss to reengage, not allowing the man a moment's respite. Still, despite the unrelenting attack, he was seemingly unfazed as he blocked the Schnee's blows with minimal effort. It was with a casual flick that Adam opened up the woman's guard and he sent the muzzle of his rifle/sheath into her chin, whence she stumbled back down a couple half-steps.

But as the accompanying finishing strike descended, it was once again intercepted by another interloper, an express train of a blow on the Rose-line blowing its shrieking whistle through the darkness and trailing a caboose of petals. The obscenely large blade crashed into Adam's guard, but did little more than to send him flying back to stick a landing a goodly distance upstream. He straightened his back and knees and stood tall to take stock of the latest series of intrusions.

Said red intrusion also raised herself back up to her unimpressive height with a twirl of her blade, but was soon bolstered by the reappearance of her sister who hopped over to her side, along with Weiss taking her place to the left of her leader. Blake stepped purposefully up to fill the small gap left between Ruby and Yang, never taking her eyes off of Adam, hoping to see the recognition of futility through the flickering darkness.

But the look of amusement shucked whatever flowering confidence she had begun to feel with the arrival of her friends and comrades.

"Look, I don't care who you are OR how you know Blake, but let's just get this straight, you can't have her!"

Yang's bravado was matched by the rest of the assembled team RWBY sans Blake, who was less certain that they could back up this claim.

It was apparent Adam thought so as well, as he merely cocked his head at this declaration, shifting back and forth on his feet like a bull pawing at the dusty ground.

Still, the presence of her teammates was a welcome feeling to her, a woman who had been committed for so long to fight on her own against the world. Even if they were to face defeat here, she was not alone.

"You truly do not understand." Adam spoke in a mercuric voice through the great divide between them. "I do not want her. I want only one thing now: and that is for a new world in which everyone is treated as equals. And I will cut down anyone who stands in my way of this." He leveled the molten blade in their direction, but singled out the Faunus among them. "It does not matter that she is a Faunus, she must be treated equally under the new regime, and betraying us means death. That is the same verdict you will receive if you stand in our way."

"You can't just treat everything as binary." Of all people, Weiss surprisingly protested. "The world will eventually become equal. You might think I don't know what I'm talking about, coming from a family that represents the rich minority, but I see it. I see the world moving towards a place in which being cruel to people for no reason isn't going to be tolerated. People are going to band together to oppose people like you, who want nothing more than to satisfy their own sense of justice. What you want is revenge, and that won't lead to peace. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."

Her inspirational speech finished, Adam lacked any signs of being swayed, but still lowered his blade and the battleground was deathly still. Even the scorching breeze kicked up by the many blazes still burning throughout the stadium stilled for a few heartbeats. Suddenly the man's chest heaved in a rueful chuckle, and a smirk quirked up one side of his face as he shook his head in disbelief. It was truly a surreal situation if ever there was one. Never did he think to be on the opposite side of philosophical debate with a Schnee.

The red blade disappeared into the nexus of its shroud. Blake's heart skipped a beat.

"A pacifist Schnee? I didn't think I would ever see the day. Regardless, despite your lofty convictions, you are just as wrong as every one of your family before you." The four of them tensed as his right heel shifted minutely back and his shoulders angled slightly towards them. Any hope that Blake had that there might have been a peaceful solution to this confrontation was ground under that heel.

"And eye for an eye doesn't leave the whole world blind. There will still be that one man, with one eye. And in a world of the blind, the one-eyed man is King. So, it is from that destruction I will build my kingdom."

* * *

Ugh.

He struggled to lift himself, but couldn't. He opened his eyes, but he was blind. Why couldn't he be numb as well? His bruised body protested as he tried to shift around under the weight pressed on top of him. Luckily, he felt whatever oppressive mass that was pressing into his lower back and shoulder blades shift slightly.

Ok, not dead, just trapped. Anything broken? He tried wiggling his extremities, starting with his toes, and moving up through his legs and torso, hands shifting in front of him and his right finger brushed something cold and metallic. Apart from the grating mass that wanted to flay him when he shifted his shoulders and thighs, nothing immediately jumped out at him. Nothing broken. He was lucky.

Well, as lucky as he could be considering. What hit him anyway? He struggled to parse out his recent memories. He did not seem to have any trouble recalling anything, sorting through the battle with the green-haired girl, Torchwick, and that scary little biochromatic pipsqueak. No brain damage, good.

That still did not tell him what the hell was going on. Despite his Aura, it felt like a building had been dropped on top of him. He tried pushing himself up again against the near crushing weight. He felt it shift slightly. Okay.

One, two, three-!

He pushed his body against whatever near flat and crushing weight was parked on top of him, and against his body's protest in all of his aching joints and the points in which his bones were digging into the unrelenting surface, he felt the slab move. A little bit more, and he felt something give, whatever it was on top of him broke and he felt the bisected object fall on either side of him as he heaved one last time.

Pretty soon, the two mostly solid pieces crumbled into so many clasts and sloughed off his body. He coughed as the dust he disturbed entered his lungs. He locked his elbows and tried to wrangle his legs underneath him. Pure happenstance shined on him in that the former slab of what he assumed was concrete, or maybe stone, had only been covering his upper body, and left his more fragile legs unscathed.

Sadly, the same could not be said for his once beloved cape, he noticed as an awful ripping sound accompanied his rise to freedom. That was two capes he had lost in the same night, and the thought of the first cast his mind back to the woman he had left hidden away in a manicured hedge with his nicer cloak as well as whatever was left over in his flask and a protein bar. He was actually grateful that he did not have it on him, because he was sure that the flat metal would have been just an added inconvenience to him in his breast pocket under both his weight and the former slab's.

Still, extremely thankful for his bout of dumb luck despite being nearly crushed by exactly what he still did not know, he let out a little cheer as his stumbled to drag himself upright, his fingers brushed up against the gnurled grip of his weapon. He used the said weapon as a prop to bring himself more upright, and he gave up as soon as he was able to get his knees underneath his body, and let the familiar metal rest against his throbbing thigh.

Hands now free, he tried dusting them off on his shirt, which was probably also a complete ruin that he would have to deal with at some later date. He tentatively reached into his pocket to retrieve a handkerchief, and then proceeded to remove the dust that was now turning to clay in his eyes trying to re-wet themselves.

He blinked, dislodging a few good-sized chunks, but despite only feeling a mild stinging, he was still met with a black slate. Shit. Was he blind now? How did that happen? But no, as he continued to blink and adjust to the lack of light, he saw that is was not abjectly dark as when he had his eyes closed. The blackness in front of him had texture, and he suddenly realized as he steadied himself, that it was moving slightly, and that was disorienting him into thinking that he was moving more than he actually was.

A warm and rank breeze tickled his ears and a wet drop ran down his shoulder. Too thick to be the beginning of rain, which might have been welcome in the instance, he was mystified as to the origin. Until he looked up. And suddenly, he wondered if he did not prefer the blind alternative.

He could barely see the stars through the gap above his head left in between the scrunched forms of several Beowulfs packed together like sardines everywhere as far as he could see, though luckily not where he himself had been buried. He might be strong enough to dislodge a part of a rock wall, but did not care to hazard a guess to how he would fare with the added weight of a fully grown Grimm on top of him.

His eyes widened and his heart stopped. He felt his own breath reflect back from the tightly knit matted fur off the rump of the seated creature in front of him, and could only fathom with an increased sense of horror what that wet drop on his shoulder had been. Still, he managed to crane his neck upwards.

The slobbering jowls of another canine-Grimm hung tantalizingly above him, another sticky drop hanging on by a shoestring from the gaping maw-

Well, not anymore. His eyebrow twitched in a three-pronged attack consisting of incredulity, irritation, and downright fatigue as the thick and sticky loogy slapped across his stubbled cheek.

Fear, though, was currently being kept at bay, miraculously, because for some reason, these otherwise bestial creatures were treating him little better than the rubble upon which they all found themselves.

Correction, they were treating him exactly like that rubble, as one of the creatures behind him shifted its weight from one paw to the other, and now supported its weight on its limb that found purchase on his calf. He stifled a cry as the oppressive mass pressed down on his fleshy muscle. Still, the creature payed him no mind, even as he glanced back to glare at it. The monster's face, along with all of the gazes of those around him were fixated on one location and nowhere else.

Cautiously shifting his leg to dislodge the offending paw, he was extremely relieved to find that the Beowulf paid him no more mind than it had before and he was able to lift himself up ever so slightly so that he could try and spy just what was causing the creatures to behave so anomalously.

Qrow felt all of the muscles in his face go slack as he snuck a peek through the thin gap between the razor-sharp and armored shoulder blades of the creatures in front of him. In that bleak frame, well past a moat of Grimm between himself and what remained of the Academy's once proud tower, stood a familiar boyish profile.

But the list of things he could not account for that night grew as the blond he had only just recently come to recognize by name as well as sight, was perched with his back turned to Qrow on the bisected base of the tower, an Aura so viscous and powerful as to become visible surrounding him and near blinding him as the crimson light tore through the night. He squinted and thought for a brief minute that he could see the visible measure of untold power flit back and forth in front of him like a tail.

But this detail was lost among the totality of the scene in front of him, for the boy's back was turned to him so that the younger man could completely fixate on what was in fact in front of him.

An equally brilliant, if not somehow less impressive blaze encompassed the sumptuous form of an irritatingly accustomed woman who hovered there in the black night sky in front of the youth. The two had only eyes for the other, and even the creatures which surrounded them were waiting on baited breath for what would come next.

With everything that had confronted him when he re-awoke, Qrow was not sure if he wanted to know what that would be.

* * *

What kind of academic professional would she be if she could not even take care of four members of her flock in a dire time of need?

This self-admonishment did not seem to help Glynda though, as she struggled against the tide of White Fang soldiers manifesting themselves out of the woodwork like a plague. No matter how many she beat back with the unsympathetic swipes of her riding crop which sent scores of them flying off into the night, more seemed to take their place. And worse yet, now interspersed among their assaults on the blonde huntress, the White Fang soldiers were forced to deal with an onslaught of Grimm that flowed like lapping waves over the rim of the stadium.

Through all this, she had watched as her students disappeared maddeningly one by one into the darkness to confront the man she knew to be an extremely dangerous threat, one far too powerful for even the four of them to consider taking on in their fatigued states. And she could do nothing. She could barely hold her place as it was, Grimm on one side and White Fang on the other, and herself sandwiched in between. She considered falling back to the arena, where surely General Ironwood had taken up the defense of the refugees and medical staff, and hence why he had not heeded her distress beacon.

It was no excuse for the other people who should have heard that call, though. She added a little bit more personal animosity as she picked up a charging Boarbatusk and threw it into a soldier who was getting a bead on her with his military grade rifle. She was going to be seriously pissed at Qrow if he did not have a good excuse for ignoring her call. She just hoped that wherever he was, he was with Ozpin and the two of them were able to handle whatever it was that was holding them up.

She was given a brief reprieve in which she scanned the stands for her four wayward students. Hope was hard to muster with the only thing greeting her being blackness. This second's pause ended as a Nevermore plucked a screaming Faunus trying to get the drop on her. She whirled around to face this new threat, unsatisfied, but unable to do anything but put her faith in her comrades, however unprepared they might be.

* * *

He was a ninja, he was prepared for a great deal in his short time in the world, well, **worlds**. He was prepared to fight, to kill in order to protect himself, in order to protect what was important to him. He was prepared to die.

Although, he hoped that it would not come to that. This was uncharted territory for the young man, and no amount of deliberation would have made any difference. This vacuum of knowledge was where he excelled.

It took no thought to do what he had done. From the moment he knew that the creatures blacker than midnight were attracted to him and the darkness he held at bay, his decision had been made. And despite whatever vehement urgings hissed through his subconscious he had acted on instinct alone to draw them to him, to capture their attention and unite their focus on this pinnacle of hatred and destruction he and the woman across from him were about to reign in.

He was a Jinchuriki, the power of human sacrifice, for the first and probably the last time voluntarily.

He had not considered his mortality in question when he leapt up to the truncated tower in full view of a thousand glaring red eyes and one set of amber ones sparkling with satisfaction and mirth. It was simply what he had to do. There was no way he was to know how his best efforts would compare to the usurper of legendary power, now very clearly in possession of this stolen good in its entirety. It wasn't comparing apples to oranges, the power that lay buried within a now decrepit chamber in his own mind was not what gave him the confidence to stand up here.

He did it because it was the right thing to do.

Because no one else was left to stand up.

Because he was Naruto Uzumaki, and dumb, headstrong acts were his forte.

"I would ask you if you really think you could stand a chance against me, but I think we both know the answer to that."

Naruto stared at her silently and defiantly. Everything around the two was eerily still as even the writhing sea of Grimm waited on baited breath for what was to come next. All was quiet in the ruins of the once proud castle that guarded so many hopes of this world, but inside Naruto's head he could hear the gnashing teeth of his tenant and felt the vindictive remarks being thrown at both him and his soon to be opponent.

"You do know that you don't stand a chance, right?"

It did not matter, it would not keep him from trying.

The great fox's Chakra erupted in his chest, feeling no less potent than it had any time before. He was aware of an earth-shattering crack which bled into a screech that would have sent shivers up his spine had his whole body not been alight in the malicious energy. The ancient Grimm which would have rivaled the size of any tailed beast was at the moment to him no more significant than a fly, and it too seemed content to circle the two of them like a vulture, lapping up the raw emotion radiating off the two of them.

The sudden spike in energy which became visible in crimson waves sloughing off the boy's body did little more than pique the interest of the usurper of the Fall Maiden's power. This malicious energy, this anger-filled power was so clearly unlike anything they had in their world. The mantel of Maidenhood precipitated an illumination in Cinder, and it became so obvious to her now what this boy was, or more accurately what he was not. She could see that power burbling up from deep within his core, and she wanted it. Plans and conspiracies burbled up in her mind in a rolling boil. Being in possession of the Maiden's power put her leagues ahead of 99% of the population. But if she were to somehow come to possess the power that this insignificant boy kept locked away, she might even be able to challenge her master for her position.

The red Chakra bleeding off from the boy's hand was like liquid fire as it touched the cycling air around the short sword clasped in his hand. The dam broke and the current exploded in intensity; the projected blade extended twofold, accompanied by a high-pitched whistle which became a shriek and then a roar as the red power honed its new edge.

"Interesting…"

Even as her tongue left the roof of her mouth forming the last syllable of this statement, she found Naruto had crossed almost half the distance between them, sword arm tensed back and vermilion shroud struggling to keep pace. But she was hardly unprepared.

A single snap with thumb and ring-finger and there was a blossom of fire enveloping the air that the boy had occupied. But even she knew that this would hardly be enough. Even before those flames had consumed the ambient oxygen around them, a bow the color of graphite materialized in her raised hand. Not even looking up, her other hand cocked back on the nigh-invisible bowstring and knocked a single arrow. She glanced up to regard the scores of identical blond teenagers who had spawned in the interval allowed by her flames and her smirk grew as she saw a pair in the middle gleaning the ethereal energy off the others, forming an infamous attack. It was quite something to see firsthand.

A twitch of her fingers, though, and the single manifested arrow spawned a dozen other brethren. Not even taking the time to aim, she loosed her flock, and the arrows like homing missiles splayed outward before seeking out their individual targets. A look of shock manifested itself on a dozen identical faces right before the arrows pierced their fragile bodies. Cinder felt her self-assured grin drop, though, when the last pair of projectiles reached the central figures forming the violet storm in their hands, and they too disappeared in a puff of smoke.

A burning feeling, more acid than fire enveloped her ankle, and she barely had time enough to glance down to see the cramoisy clawed appendage clinging on to her limb before she was jerked down violently towards the ground.

Like a slingshot she was hurled into the sea of tormented beasts. She hit the ground violently, more so than expected as a wake of fire erupted from her cratered form and consumed the soulless spectators in a widespread radius, burying her beneath a cloud of ash laden smoke and vaporized Grimm.

Fueled by instinct as he was, Naruto was not about to let his guard down just yet, and he let himself become subject to gravity as he fell after his target. He felt himself bear his elongated canines in a vicious smirk of both nostalgia and vindication as a pyroclastic dragon erupted from the black smoker and lunged at him. He waited until he could feel the fire-golem's tongue snaking out to taste him before he twisted in midair, spinning out of its path and snatching away its midnight snack.

He let his blade of metal and wind trace his descent past the animalistic attack's hide, scoring a deep gash in the molten corpse. Without so much as a scream, the two halves of the creature parted in the air like twin streamers behind him even as he fell ever faster towards the progenitor of the attack.

Cinder burst forth from the settling cloud, bow transfigured into sword to meet her opponent. Steel met steel as the streams of wind flicked out and fueled the embers bleeding off from Cinder's body and blade. The two were embraced by the spider web cage of fire, tumbling in their deadlock. Their eyes met for all the time of a flash in the pan, and Cinder could not restrain the stab of doubt that pierced her when she met his dagger-like gaze. It was not the bloody iris, nor the slit pupil that affected her. It was the resignation behind them.

No, not resignation.

The moment was over before she could second guess herself and her senses returned to her. She fed a little bit more of her flame into the currents swathing Naruto's blade and they were immensely grateful for this gift, flashing in a moment that she capitalized on, lashing out with her other hand to force the young man away from her.

Naruto shot out of the fireball, reeling from the punch to his face which was only minutely dulled by his tenant's shroud which at the moment was being concentrated into the warm currents keeping him aloft. But his enemy was not about to give him the chance to recover, and as soon as she could, Cinder hurled a handful of fireballs at the recoiling teen.

Unable to dodge, Naruto reached out to that ingrained itch in is arm which upon accessing the Kyuubi's Chakra had become an almost unignorably insistent burn. Like water balloons hitting a concrete wall, the fireballs ran into his vacuum defense and burnt themselves out on the air around the void. Naruto spawned a clone right underneath him and used its sacrifice to regain some altitude.

Cinder was not ready for her target to appear so suddenly, and so unscathed and so was especially taken aback when handful of metal projectiles were launched from the recovered ninja. Her surprise did not surpass her instinct, and she raised her weapon to block a good portion of the indiscriminately thrown weapons, letting a few sail harmlessly past her.

In her haste, however, she had neglected to pay closer attention to the widely dispersed throwing stars. As they passed through the halo of flame which accompanied her usage of the Maiden's powers, the oddly inscribed paper that was wrapped around their body and edges caught alight.

Even through the shroud Naruto could feel the heat as well as the concussive wave which erupted from the explosion consuming the one who stole the life and power of the Fall Maiden. Though he was under no illusion that the bout was far from over, he allowed himself a small grin and imaginary pat on the back seeing the haughty woman be so easily caught off guard.

Had he not been tempered by the months of trial by fire before hand, he might have become subject to a drastic reversal of fortunes as he was suddenly forced to dodge a cloud of arrows set flight like a murder of crows form deep within the blast zone.

Rather than waste his gained position trying to maneuver out of the way, he instead crossed his arms over his face and tucked his legs underneath, allowing himself to be peppered by the oncoming horde. What was not immediately deflected by the enveloping Chakra stream around him was diminished in intensity significantly. The barbed arrows, constructed from some sort of carbon congealed from the ash, lodged themselves only tip deep into his armored torso and forearms. Unclenching his defense, he brushed off the other thorns which had become embedded in his thighs without appearing to be concerned about the damage.

Although, he was quite irritated, and he let that fuel him as he once again obtained clear sight to his enemy, he manifested his ire with a swipe of his arm as if reaching out to swat a particularly annoying fly. His permanent totem responded kindly to this, and channeled the crimson Chakra through whatever remained of its engineered veins, converting it into a razor-sharp blade of wind that was hurled at the scowling Cinder.

He created another clone as a platform to leap from and followed in the contrails of his attack. With flames concentrated on the edge of her blade, Cinder cut through the hastily formed slice, her emblazoned weapon showing only the merest ripples as it passed. Though while her weapon and its enhancements were unaffected, she felt her arm shake as the young man's own blade converge with her own. The combination of fire, wind and metal hitting one another unanimously created a sound like a comet exploding in the atmosphere.

She let the boy pass by her and Naruto continued flying in his downward trajectory, landing back on the half-tower. He rolled once before planting his feet on the ground with Chakra and skidding to a halt, whipping back around to face his attacker. None too soon, because as soon as he had turned, he rolled backwards to avoid a clutch of arrows sent rapid fire in his direction.

He stood up and cut the last one down in the air before it could reach him, but as soon as he had, he was again beset upon by his opponent. Cinder fell at him furiously, it seemed that she had grown somewhat bored of their areal battle and decided to test his skill at swordplay. Not one to disappoint, Naruto showed her the fruit of his many months of labor, training in his chosen sword form. Though his blade was now augmented far past its normal length with the blade of wind cycling around it, it was no heavier than it had been, and no harder to match pace with the woman.

It was far harder to get used to not having his buckler with which to block and parry. The absence was sending him slightly off balance with each swing, and he had to concentrate to make sure that he did not reach out to block with his unguarded arm.

This moment's hesitance, combined with the fact that he was far from an expert in dueling meant that he was eventually put on the defensive, despite the aggressiveness bestowed upon him by the fox's shroud. He was hesitant to draw any more, however. He knew the Kyuubi was already having a hard time providing him with this much and it was taking all of the demon's effort to maintain his control over it, making sure Naruto did not succumb to his bloodlust. It was only thanks to the fox's cooperation thus far that he had been able to so easily reign control over his wind element, the weakened seal for once benefiting the both of them with his ability to affect direct control.

But no one could ever accuse Naruto of being a one trick pony, and while he knew he was no duelist like his raven-haired partner, he did have a card or two up his sleeve. It was time to show her up close what his Rasengan was capable of. The fox was on the same wavelength, and between the two of them, the swirling ball of energy was formed in a split second, and with it he blocked the woman's thrust head on.

Cinder's eyes widened, drowning her amber irises in a sea of white as her blade was yanked forcibly out of her grasp and sent flying into the dark night, landing in the even darker swath of Grimm still braying and howling impatiently at the concentrated event of so much raw emotion. Naruto followed his favorite attack with a thrust of his own, striking first with the tip of the wind blade before the metal blade forced its way through and buried itself in the woman's gut.

Though it appeared that her now redoubled Aura blocked most of the formidable attack, he doubted that she would be unaffected even then, as she was sent flying backwards, like her blade, to land in the midst of the confused and agitated creatures.

Naruto watched callously as she battled her way out, flames erupting from that black sea and vapor trails of Grimm blood shooting out and dissolving in the air like sprays from a fountain. Suddenly though, the somewhat ample light reflected from the fractured moon diminished, and he found himself in shadow.

He blinked as he tried to comprehend the subtle yet profound change. Once again he owed it to his tenant who was far more savvy than he, as he felt his muscles jerk him backwards. The Grimm dragon ripped a chunk out of the floor he had just stood on as the rest of its freight train body slammed into the ruined platform, nearly knocking Naruto off his feet even as he landed from his near dodge.

It seemed that the creature was done simply observing. It had been sleeping for who knew how long, and it was apparently hungry. Temporary winner though he may be, Naruto and his suit of malice would make quite a nice break to his fast.

Not, though, if either Naruto or the Fox could help it.

The creature roared at him as he flung the unappetizing chunk of tile and rebar to the side, and Naruto scowled as a black chunk of slime and concrete dust nailed him in the cheek. He did not bother to wipe it off as it boiled off his skin in the presence of the malicious Chakra. Still, he was hardly amused, as it now seemed that he would have to deal with yet another unknown entity.

He ignored his tenant's facetious suggestion that he try to befriend the brutish beast.

Though the inside joke did give him an idea. The Grimm Dragon's armored hide looked too thick for him to try and penetrate on his own. He would have to give himself some sort of edge… or find a place where it wasn't quite as armored.

The two rushed each other at nearly the same moment, but the smaller of the jousters was far faster, and much less inclined to fight a direct battle with this entity. Right before the massive jaws snapped at him once again, he threw himself underneath the creature's jawline, sliding on a cushion of wind Chakra like he was a hockey puck until he was well underneath the fire-breather's tail.

He was not about to half-ass the job this time, so instead of pulling out a fistful or two of tagged kunai or shuriken, he had already moved in and removed all the ones that were **not** plastered with high yield explosive charges and slipped them into the folds of his uniform, he deigned to throw the whole bag itself right up the back pipe, so to speak.

Sticking his feet to the floor, momentum carried his body upright, and rather than halt it, he changed direction spinning back around to face the lumbering beast still wondering where its prey went. In mid spin, he released his impromptu satchel-charge and heaved it right at the giant asterisk.

He grossly underestimated his own handiwork.

The blast was a silent sound, and as soon as the shock wave hit him everything went black.

* * *

Blake knew as soon as that red blade silently disappeared into the black sheath what Adam had planned. Though it did not make sense, that move required too much time to prepare and it was fairly clear that he had no one to distract the four of them while he was defenseless in his preparation. But she did not have the luxury of time to ruminate on this.

Even as her muscles tensed to leap at the man, others tensed keeping her frozen. He smiled at her, and at that look she froze up, unable to do what was prudent, what was necessary. It was in that moment of nostalgia that the world around her faded into polarization, his smile disappeared into a black pit as she and her teammates bled into crimson.

Even as she recognized this, it was too late. She could not move fast enough to block the strike that was about to come, or had it already struck? She stared at his bleak smile for far too long for it to be normal, she had to have already succumbed to it, and her mind was busy replaying the last thing that she saw in her life. What a cruel irony, for the last image stained on her mind to be that of Adam. The rose petals were falling, and she knew it was over.

"Snap out of it Blake!"

The spell was broken as even in the world of black and red she could see her tormentor's kindly smile degrade into a frown. She blinked and the tunnel vision was broken, and the rose petals which threatened to fall now swirled and rose back up on newfound eddies and thermals. Her team captain now stood poised between her and death incarnate.

"You're fast."

Ruby smirked at this conceded praise from the baddie.

"…But not fast enough."

Compliment retracted, his blade skipped from one side to the other as Adam flowed around the petite scythe wielder almost faster than Blake could recognize. And once again, there he was poised for a killing blow, and she could not so much as twitch a muscle to defend herself.

"Dang it Blake! I said snap out of it!"

This time, rather than just words, her team leader nudged her out of the way- okay, more like kicked her out of the way of the deathly sharp implement, and once again Crimson Rose intercepted the similarly color-schemed blade staring her in the face.

When had Ruby gotten so fast?

Evidently, the same time she decided to wox an unparalleled spirit of determination, because she was evidently done being idle and watch her friend get kicked around (even if it was by her). Ruby spun and jabbed the heel of her weapon at Adam, who dutifully blocked it. But before he could even attempt to counter that, she was upon him again, scythe cutting through the air time and again. Each time meeting nothing but air, but each time seeming to get closer and closer to its goal.

For once this evening, Adam did not look amused.

For once, Ruby herself did not look amused.

It seemed that in the culmination of events that evening that something had changed in the predominantly shy and awkward girl. Though she was never more at peace with herself than she was while engaged in combat, this latest life or death situation, piled upon far more death than a girl of her age had a right to see, something had awoken in her, or perhaps she herself had awoken to some sort of truth. What that was she did not look about to share with anyone, as her lips pressed shut in an impressively stoic look.

Any other time, Blake might have thought that the look of determination was cute on the bubbly girl, but now it was almost scary. Almost, because there was still that intuitive part of Blake reminding her that Ruby was her team leader. Instead, the look, combined with the way that she seemed to be going toe to toe with the leader of the White Fang, inspired her, and at last freed her from whatever hesitation plagued her upon seeing such a deceptively kind smile.

Just as Adam converted his increased frustration at being distracted from his goal into vigor, he once again took the lead in their mortal waltz. With a flurry of strikes culminating in a blow from Blush that caused Ruby to slip up in her choreographed maneuver, he doubled up on his luck and hit the girl again with a remorseless blow to her wrist, forcing her to drop one end of her weapon. Unable to block, she was completely open to the Adam's blow.

Spinning off of the underhanded strike to her wrist, he seamlessly flowed Wilt into Blush to increase the speed of his strike with the sheathed draw. But even as victory for the bull-Faunus was all but assured, Ruby showed no signs that she was concerned by this outcome.

It made sense the minute Adam froze in his strike. Or rather, his arm froze, as it was covered by a thin sheet of ice.

"No you don't!"

Even with a cast of frozen water and dust encasing his cocked sword arm, Adam skillfully dodged the slash trying to take his head off. He also managed to avoid the next few stabs before he broke through the thin restraint. The young woman was scraping the bottom of the barrel with her dust supplies, and it was only through the fact that Adam was caught in a contorted position that the move had any effect.

Now he was free and Weiss was left with nothing but her own inherent skills with a blade. She might have been more level headed than when she fought Sasuke the other night, but she should have known that despite her practiced form she was not on the same level as this Faunus. Still she put up an admirable show, keeping pace for the span of a few seconds before Adam once again showed he was in another league and with an unexpectedly strong flick, opened up her guard.

This time, he did not even manage to attempt the killing strike as he was blindsided by another bull from the sidelines.

"Did you forget about me?!"

Yang's eyes glowed with a fury at being so easily dismissed in this fight. She should not have let her pride get the better of her, but at the very least she had her friends to cover her, as she would them.

"No…"

Adam spoke darkly as he picked himself out of the pile of stadium chairs he had accumulated by rolling into them like a dung beetle. He flicked his head to get rid of the dust and char that had settled upon his otherwise immaculately trimmed hair and manicured horns. Raising his blade in a challenge to the one who just hit him, he cocked his head to the side as if curious.

"Did you forget about them?"

A screech from the side twigged Yang on to what the bullish man meant, and she had to quickly duck to avoid having her head snatched up in the beak of an intruding Nevermore, who was apparently not content with the handful of White Fang foot soldiers he had already devoured.

"Why you…!"

Yang paused in her planned diatribe as she noticed the golden smudge wedged in the avian-Grimm's beak.

All hell broke loose for that bird.

"Yang! Now's not the time to get distracted!"

But even her white-haired teammates sage advice couldn't reach the woman engulfed in her self-imposed mission to make the first spatchcocked Grimm.

Weiss was correct to be concerned with their not yet defeated opponent as she turned from her vindictive teammate to face the very man who had speedily recovered from the blonde's otherwise crippling blow. A black projectile wedging itself between the two of them stopped this.

"Your fight's with me, remember?"

Though he had little choice in the matter, Adam did not seem disappointed to acknowledge this point. He eagerly reinitiated the battle with his former companion, still not intending to spare any mercy.

"That's another thing that you never did learn."

The man lectured her as swiped at her arm reaching out to grasp the tossed Shroud. Blake scowled at this tone of familiarity and retracted her arm, simultaneously yanking back the sheath attached to the ribbon and taking a swipe of her own at her former leader which he blocked with his own secondary weapon.

"You let your emotions rule you. Never let them get in the way of seizing an opportunity."

As he professed this bit of wisdom, he leapt back, narrowly avoiding a Beowulf that had pounced at him hoping to score a distracted win. Snapping at nothing but air, the creature then turned its attention to Blake, picking her as the weaker of the two meals. Still, Blake herself was not going to stand idle and be devoured by a hyped-up canine.

The beast did not have time to growl again.

As the body of the Grimm was tossed smoking out of her way, Blake paused as her target was no longer on the other side of the animated curtain. Where had he gone?

A single screech pierced through the ruckus and Blake's heart skipped a beat. She whirled around to face an odd sight. Adam had forgone his battle with her in favor of burying his sword hilt-deep in the Nevermore which had previously interrupted them in their duel. He retracted the crimson blade from the beast's back, and the creature fell down on the stadium slope poised like a hood ornament with its wings outstretched.

As it slid down the remainder of the stands, though, it revealed another shape on its other side.

Yang stood there with a completely bemused expression on her face, like she could not quite understand what she had done to defeat the bird-brain. She blinked, and Blake could see that the flames had since left her lavender eyes. That, and her pupils were dilated. She was surprised alright, but not merely because she was robbed of her vengeance.

The arm that was cocked for a punch fell slowly to her chest as her eyes followed the same path. It was a look of incredulity as the pale skin above her tank top rent open in a slow trickle which seconds later turned into a burble of crimson. She touched the rivulet flowing form her chest curiously, withdrawing her gauntleted hand to see if she was really interpreting this phenomenon correctly.

"Yang!"

Blake was not sure who screamed the woman's name. It could have been Weiss, Ruby, hell it could even have been her, because in that moment she felt so detached from her own body.

And Yang must have been feeling something similar because she still looked like she could not believe it as she collapsed like a puppet with her strings cut and crumpled to the ground.

Adam simply glanced back her direction. She felt nothing.

Then everything.

A cry tore through her throat already wrung dry by the day's events and she pounced on the man in blind fury. Her blade danced around in a disco paced to anger, the flash of her weapon mingling with the tears she could not yet shed.

Despite her redoubled efforts, his body continued to elude her righteous strikes even as his own blade taunted her, caressing her alabaster skin stained with the ruins of so many lives. His ghost of a smile was as sure as it was sorrowful. If only she could have learned.

If only she could have learned before she died.

"Tell me Blake, what is it you want?"

She wanted him to shut up. She wanted to end him as he so mercilessly ended Yang.

"You want to kill me, don't you?"

He observed astutely as her strikes pounded against his steel-hard defense.

"But tell me… you do it…. What then?"

His own words punctuated by a sudden retaliation that she was forced to dodge after the first blow knocked Gambol out of her hand. As he extended a centimeter too far, she leap over to where her sword was thrown to and rolled with the lunge, chucking Shroud with all her weight and anger.

A flick of his wrist sent the sheath to the side, she jerked it back to her, catching a stadium seat in its return which was then hurled at Adam's exposed back. He placed his sword behind him and the two halves parted on either side of his statuesque form.

"You see Blake, we both want the same thing right now, to end one another. But there is a clear difference." She was breathing heavy, and briefly humored him as she regathered herself, retrieving her sheath in the process. "The difference is what we do next. To me, your death is a necessary means to an end. We are all of us disposable to different extents. When I remove you I move on to finishing my goal, ushering in a new world, a world where all of our people can be free."

She scoffed at this, no matter how tired she was she couldn't stand to listen to this hypocrisy. She was about to charge the mouthy man again, but a white blur beat her to it. With a cry of rage the Schnee flew at him in a fury. Once again he began to lazily block the strikes, until that is the woman suddenly leapt back and fired a dust round to gain her a second's breath. His form was covered by the ball of fire that was expelled from the impact, but even as Weiss was forming a glyph to aid her in whatever scheme she had cooked up, Adam suddenly appeared from above and a single slash tore through the glyph hastily raised in defense and the red energy which emanated from it struck the shocked woman like a whip.

Weiss was pushed aside with a cry of pain, and Blake shoved aside her personal discomfort at this blood-boiling sight.

"You though, you with so many attachments…"

Damn right she had attachments. She loved her team. They loved her, they were family, and she would defend them until her last breath. She struck at him with all this weight behind her.

"When you kill me, that is when you will truly be lost."

All that weightiness was for not. Adam was still just so far above her current level, and now he seemed to be done toying with them. She did not even blink as his blade lashed out and wrenched Gambol from her grip. Her eyes mistakenly followed the blade as it cartwheeled upward and he took advantage of this distraction, planting the end of Blush into her forehead.

She tumbled backwards landing on her knees just in time to raise Shroud in time to mostly block a downward slash to her on the ground. The blade did not touch her, but in her dazed state the sheathe was knocked aside and clattered against the cold ground. Before she could retrieve it with the black ribbon wrapped around her wrist, Adam swiftly clipped it and his heavy foot stomped down on her hand.

She cried out as his heel dug into the fragile bones and the crimson blade caressed her cheek, forcing her to look up at him. He had something to say to her, he was not going to kill her until she understood just how foolish she had been.

"You see, you still care for me. You can't bring yourself to kill me, and even if you did, you would not know where to go from there. When you were with the White Fang, your life had purpose. Now, your only purpose is running from us. Killing you is a mercy. If I let you live, you would continue to be lost in this cruel world, nothing more than a piece of trash riding the breeze where it takes you. So you see, your attachments have doomed you. You can't believe in people. People will always let you down, but ideas are eternal."

And he raised his sword, to let her join these lofty goals in immortality.

She thought she had resigned herself to death long ago, since even before Adam twisted the White Fang to what it was now. People died all the time in those so called 'peaceful' protests, and she was not ignorant to this. She was ready to die for her cause, she was not yet ready to kill. That was what had drove her away from it, from him. She could not follow him back then, nor could she now. Even though he was about to end her life, even in her rage-filled state, she was not sure if she could do the same to him.

She was never sure if she could follow that path of no return. Perhaps that explained what made her distrust those two so much. She should have known from the start, she should have known killers when she saw them, just as she looked upon the blighted visage of Adam so many times. But she had been fooled.

Or had she? How could she compare Adam with the two of them? Even the more stoic of the two could not compare to the remorselessness her former idol now showed. Sasuke was human, he had emotions. He helped her when she was down, he helped the weak selflessly, and didn't discriminate between human and Faunus. Adam was… what was he? He had changed. He wasn't even a Faunus anymore. He was a monster.

Killing people didn't make you into that. Disappointment did.

And still, she was not disappointed with him as his blade seemed to creep downwards to her neck. As she gazed up at him, she could only feel pity, and her own regret at not realizing these things sooner.

She would miss her friends. She wished she got to know them better. Even those two.

Her vision was bathed in crimson.

* * *

His vision was still rosy tinted when he opened his eyes. So it couldn't have been that long, the Kyuubi was still rationing him what Chakra he had scraped together the months they had been here. He sat up, and in the relative calmness that tracked in after the blast, he could begin to feel the poisonous effects of the demonic energy flowing through his veins, it felt like heartburn running through his entire body.

But the beast was still feeding it to him for a reason, and he very quickly noticed the writhing form of the dragon in the corner of his vision. He became cognizant of its ear-splitting shrieks then, as he witnessed it thrash and careen back and forth much too vigorously for it to be seriously injured. It was just pissed.

Naruto frowned.

But this turned out to be the least of his worries. His dueling partner had apparently decided that this was the perfect time to return from her personal slaughter of the Grimm army she helped gather. He turned just in time to have his vision engulfed by a ball of flame which threw him a good deal closer to the pained and very much annoyed monster Grimm.

He grit his teeth in pain, even as some of the Kyuubi's Chakra was diverted to regrowing scorched flesh. But before he could extract his vengeance, he had to roll to the side to avoid being stomped on by the dragon who had seen him as a very easy target for his ire. The clawed appendage sunk deep into the floor, and the dragon became stuck in this racoon trap of its own making, allowing Naruto to turn his focus back to the crimson woman.

Cinder herself did not look to be too happy. Perhaps chagrined at him landing a blow, or annoyed at having to deal with a goodly number of Grimm before she could return to beat her revenge into him. Either way, he would be cautious, but he would try to aggravate this emotion and use it as much as possible.

"Still find me interesting?"

Naruto spoke these first words of his match to her with a distinctly snarky bite. Cinder's frown just deepened at the jibe. Truth be she was still interested in this power he displayed, and just a tad worried if he had any other tricks up his sleeves. But she would not let him know this.

"No, just annoying."

Naruto felt himself grin at this familiar remark, and wiped his thumb across his nose.

"So I've been told."

But he could not capitalize any more on the woman's displeasure, because she truly must have found him somewhat irritating with the way she began hurling fist-sized balls of flame his way in rapid succession. Naruto leapt to his feet and charged her in kind.

Dodging these attacks was almost too easy for him, having been on the receiving end of similar ones too many times. He bobbed and weaved in and out of the hail of flame headed in his vague direction. When he got close enough, he shifted his arm forward and sent a blast of wind ahead of him, right into Cinder's hand as it was cocked back to cast another attack in his direction. The ball caught on faster than she did, and it expanded with the added incentive, exploding in a brilliant yellow glow which blinded him temporarily, but hopefully did so for her for far longer.

Though as the light died and his whitewashed vision slowly acclimated itself back to the darkness, there was no sign of the woman anywhere. He glanced back to see if the dragon was keen to take another stab at him. The beast was smarter than it seemed, because it returned to flight, hoping to avoid the fireballs that were lobbed in both of their directions.

The mystery was solved, though, before he could turn around again as the floor underneath him burst forth and he shot upwards like he had been the target for one of his female companion's fury. As he twisted in air to try and bring himself to bear on his shaded attacker though, he was left totally unprepared as a fist planted itself in the middle of his back, and he was hurled back down to the dwindling remains of the tower.

He hit the tile floor, cracking more than a few. His body was very abjectly in pain, and he heard a whimper, wondered if it was him or the fox. Either, or both, he decided as the crimson shroud that had been swaddling him slowly started to recede and retreat back into his gut.

As the beast's power left him, it felt like all support was fleeing as well. He was falling continuously until the last drops petered out and the great demon retreated back in on himself, perhaps preferring not to watch his demise. As soon as he was alone, however, that feeling of falling stopped and he hit the ground, hard.

Again, and again. He was broken, battered and just wanted to give up.

But he couldn't. Even if the Fox left him without so much as an apology, he could not cut his losses and give up prematurely. He would fight to his last.

Though even as he struggled to haul himself back up, he wondered just how close that really was.

Cinder sauntered up to him, her high heels clicking lightly on the hollow surface and they were the only thing he could see as he propped himself up on his elbows. She was standing above him, and had a perfect opportunity to end him right then and there with a single swing of her sword.

A scrap of paper flittered down to land right next to those pampered feet snuggled in what must have once been a very expensive pair of shoes. He recognized the handwriting. Even if he hadn't, those squiggles could only have been read by two people in this world, and even though Glynda had drastically improved it, he recognized his own handiwork.

"Really, those are quite impressive little tricks. For pieces of paper, I mean."

He felt his face twist into a rueful smile, at least now he knew the number of the bus that hit him. When she had the time to swipe those from him during the battle, he did not know.

"Emerald thought so too. Good thing she has such quick fingers, hm?"

Oddly enough, he wasn't even that upset at the verdette. He had known of her proclivities and had caught her a few times pilfering things from him and from others. He knew she did it far more than he caught her, but he found another odd sort of kinship from this proficiency in the art of pilfering. He had not infrequently had to steal to survive, and he knew that was the only reason someone like her got as good as she did.

Where was she now, he wondered?

"It still does not compare to the real deal though, does it?"

Without looking up, Naruto could feel the ring of fire that encircled them at the woman's beckoning. He could see the flames produce those dancing shadows, those fairy creatures cavorting on the dirty ground, mocking his efforts.

Death was here, and he couldn't even look it in the eye.

He stayed silent, he would not give her any satisfaction.

"I'll admit, you were interesting, at first. But really, you and your friend are just more trouble than you are worth." He felt her grin widen. "I bet even at the end, Ozpin felt the same. Really, it's quite sad, if not for you, who knows what would have happened?"

Naruto now could not answer. Had his arms not been locked underneath him he would have fell down and died right there. Had he had any energy left, he could have tried to convince himself that she was wrong, that they had in fact done the man a service, and that they were not a burden. But it wasn't her voice in his head, it was his own.

"He might have lived, his academy might not have been destroyed, your friends too might have made it out alright." She chuckled to herself. "Although, to be honest, I find that unlikely." She shrugged and uncrossed her arms. In her right materialized that same carbon gray blade, its tip tickling the blond locks falling over his ear.

"I guess it doesn't matter, anyway. What's done is done."

She raised the blade over the boy's head. But what she was not to know was that Naruto was not there. His body lay under the path of her swing, but he was long gone.

"Don't feel bad, you're just one among many."

Even before she could move a muscle in her arm, though, another blade cut through the flaming ring she had set up around them for a little bit of privacy. She retreated back into her own flames as the huge, curved claw tore through the air right above the boy's head. Cinder raised her weapon defensively, but was still pushed back as the scythe doubled back for another strike that she again had a hard time tracking.

The flames retreated from her side of the ring as she herself backed further away. The remaining blaze cast the spectral figure of death in shadow where he stood looming over the prone shinobi. But it was clear that death was not interested in taking the boy, its crimson eyes were focused solely on her.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you survived. So much bad luck, every now and then you have to have some good for a change."

Qrow smirked behind the soot which caked his face and stubble.

"Nah, still bad luck. This was my last good cape." He quipped as he tussled the ruined garment. "Frankly, it must be this kid who has all the luck." He tapped the unresponsive boy's ribs, but did not seem to notice that he produced no reaction.

"I wondered why you came to his rescue, I didn't see any other reason he or his friend were that special."

"Ah, you see, that's where you're wrong." The laid-back man hefted his massive weapon over his shoulders and hooked his arms over either side.

"You see, I don't really care too much about the kid. But he is a friend of my niece, and you see, she has a hard time making friends. I just figure that this is easier than trying to find her a replacement. Besides, if he died, that would make Ruby pretty sad, and I just can't stand to see her cry… well, when I'm not the one who caused it." He chuckled at his own little joke, but Cinder was clearly immune to the man's humor.

"Thing is, I have zero tolerance for when other people do it. And well, you just sort of dropped the stadium she was in on the school she was attending. To be honest, that even pisses me off, so you better hope that she is okay."

All false pretense of humor drained away from the man as his blood red eyes narrowed their gaze at the stoic woman.

"If she is, your death will be quick. If not… well, I can't guarantee anything."

This seemed to phase the woman less than he was hoping, however, and her usual smile resumed its place on her sculpted face. Overhead, the dragon once again resumed circling hungrily.

"I don't think you can guarantee anything anyway."

She called his bluff, and raised.

* * *

She kneeled there trapped under the weight of both his gaze and the foot stomping down painfully on her wrist, his sword raised and poised to end her, she expected any moment to hear the clarion's call. But the same as the last instance in which he used this move to morph the world to his crimson and black, time had seemed at a standstill.

Except that this time, the rose petals were still falling. Except that this time, the rose hue that died her vision was trickling down her cheek.

Except that this time, Adam was falling.

He sunk to his knees, coming even with her. He was so close, she could feel his breath, taste the iron in his lungs. His foot slid off her hand and she slowly raised herself so that she could see him eye to eye. She dared to get a glance at his eyes shaded by those ignorant slats ingrained into that childish mask. She struggled to see the man she had come to know all those years ago, prayed to see the man she had come to love. But he was gone, long gone.

He chuckled at nothing in particular, and then slumped over, the curtain of blood flowing like a water fall out of his stomach and over the water-worn rocks that were his entrails spilling out. She could see where his spine was severed. She could see that small flap of skin and muscle holding his two halves together buried underneath his vitals flowing like wine.

It was like she was watching a movie.

No, that was not it. It was real, that much she could see, that much she could feel. This was not like the incomprehensible carnage she had born witness to among all those innocent lives. As much as she cared for him, cherished him, loved him, Adam was not an innocent.

It was like she was watching someone dear to her pass away after struggling with something for a long, long time.

It was a relief.

She heard another body slump to the floor along with a clatter, and emulating life, she glanced over at the crumpled form of her leader, of her friend, draped in that ubiquitous red cloak.

So much red coated her.

Crimson Rose lay by her side, released but not forgotten. No, it would be impossible for the girl to forget her first weapon. It would be hard for the woman to forget her first kill.

Blake saw the swaddled form heave, shake, be wracked with silent sobs. She felt tears trickle down her own cheek. She found herself crawling over to her comrade, maneuvering carefully but uncaringly over the corpse that lay in front of her. There was no mourning for the dead, she had living that needed her far more.

It was the same as helping out all those injured people. Move on, always moving on.

Blake reached an arm tentatively out to the other young woman, the person who had far too much growing shoved upon her those past few hours. She could not break, Blake would not let her break. She could gather up the pieces and reassemble them for as long as it took. Ruby jumped when she felt the hand come to rest on her shoulder. Her head snapped around and Blake saw just how much age had been hefted on her shoulders. She saw the tears still falling, the ingrained ash and dust, the spray of blood drops across her pale cheek, but most of all, she saw the weariness. She was tired, they all were.

Gently she pulled the younger woman back to her, reaching out with her other arm. As she was doing so and Ruby was only too glad to lean into her embrace. Blake felt the salty tears pearl up on her dirty hair as Ruby buried her nose into the crook of her neck, breath overcome by uncontrollable sobbing and hiccuping. Blake rubbed the other woman's back, stroking the once fine cotton weave now ragged and torn.

How strange. Was this the first time she had ever hugged anyone before? She did not think so, but in the moment she couldn't recall any instance. In this moment, there was just her, just her and her captain, her friend.

"Blake….I'm-I'm-I-"

Blake hushed her, cooing gently and soothing herself as well as the one clinging desperately to her.

"I'm sorry-!"

"It's okay, Ruby. You don't have anything to be sorry about. You're fine. Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going to be just fine."

* * *

Nothing was fine anymore. This was it. This was the end.

Even if by some miracle a dark horse appeared and defeated Cinder, they could hardly best the dragon which seemed to be backing her. Even as he saw it writhing in pain from his bag stuffed to the brim with explosive tags, it continued to spawn new Grimm from the fat drops it exuded which took the place for every one they slew, and every one presumably other hunters had slew for generations.

And he had just left Sasuke and Pyrrha to face them alone. He thought by leaving them that he was protecting them. That never seemed to work, did it? Guess the path to hell was always paved with good intentions.

Why was he still so foolish? Even as he stood here staring at his partner, forced and shackled to one another though they may have been, he had never accomplished anything in his miserable life alone. Everything of any import had been precipitated by outside agents. Iruka had been the one to guide him step by step through his formative years, he had picked up what was left of Naruto after he started to crack from the isolation, the loneliness. The Old man had always been there to help him from above, and even his ANBU kept him safe from the shadows.

Safe, but alone.

Kakashi, Tsunade, Jiraya, Sakura, Sasuke….

Every step in his life had been shadowed by someone else. Someone to help him carry his burden. He had born his life on his own for those early years, but never accomplished anything by himself. Hell, getting here was at least half Sasuke. Why did he leave him behind to go off on his own? Why did he feel like he was worthier than the other boy? Why did he feel his life was worth less?

Life was not a macrocosm of the individual. It was a tiny atom, infinitesimally small particles bound together by invisible forces of attraction, opposites unable to exist without one another and spheres of energy popping in and out of existence millions of times every instance.

When they had crossed over, they had been broken down into those infinitesimally small units, and reassembled again, and he was only now recalling this lucid memory buried deep within his psyche. They had been broken down, and never reassembled properly again.

He stood for what was sure to be the final time in his tenant's quarters. The candlelight dying like the light in his eyes. The slick stone walls pockmarked and dry. Someone was taking a deep drag on those once mighty bars, smoldering cigarettes now burning down to the butt, the immutable metal dissolving to ash before his eyes.

There was nothing left between him and the demon. But the Kyuubi did not seem to be in any mood to snap at him, literally or figuratively. He lay there complacently, hardly expending energy enough to swish his tail back and forth.

"Naruto."

The beast greeted him, for once devoid of any of his usual malice. In its place, resignation.

For the life of him, Naruto could not help but smile.

"You finally called me by my name."

No scoff nor profusion of denial spilled forth. The beast, and his jailer were quiet.

"I guess, that means this is it, huh?"

"Depends." The Kyuubi closed his eyes, pretending to be unconcerned with whatever the outcome would be. "I have nothing more to give you."

It was partially true, whatever progress that had apparently been made in the days Naruto knew of his ailment had been undone in the fraction of an hour he had drawn upon the converted Chakra. The Fox looked as bad as he ever had. He was like a dog with mange, anemic with patches of bare skin poking through and fur shedding off with each shallow breath he took. He had shrunk, too. Once a beast that could have towered over that dragon far above, it was now hard to judge but he looked little bigger than an elephant, or perhaps in this world a Deathstalker. With none of the prickliness, that is.

"Somehow I doubt that…."

Despite the fact that the Kyuubi looked far worse than he had ever seen him, the mere fact that he was there at all meant that he still had energy left to give. It would mean the end of him, but any other option at this point would be the same outcome, though for both of them. Of course he wanted to save his own skin.

This time the beast growled angrily. He bore his teeth with every drop of malice he had left in his shrunken gullet.

"I have nothing to give to **you** Ningen!" The Fox even started to sit up, anger driving him as surely as hopelessness shackled him to the ground. "You humans are all the same! Always thinking about yourselves no matter the cost to anything else in your path! Sure, today it could be me, a demon! But how long do you think it is going to take before this world's people will no longer tolerate the Faunus running around with them? How long do you think it will take them to consume what is left of their planet's resources? Before they begin to cannibalize each other like they do every other species that ever lived!"

He lost his momentum and his diatribe ended. He huffed as he once again let his head fall down between his two paws and cut off his ruby red daggers from looking at the filthy monkey any longer.

"You humans are all the same, everywhere I go. I do not know why I should have thought you would be any different." With that, he once again resigned himself to whatever fate awaited him when his container bit the dust.

Naruto chuckled darkly to himself, but the Kyuubi did not so much as raise an eyebrow. He held a clenched hand to his heart.

"We all have something to give… even when our last breath is gone… there is always something more you can give." He had given so much, he had given it his all, and where had it gotten him? He shook his head and his arm dropped to his side.

"I thought we had this conversation already? Everything that's alive wants to live. But don't you remember?" At this, Naruto did see a slight twitch in the demon's ear which had become almost translucent. "I'm different, remember? I'm not here to ask anything more of you. I'm here because it's my turn to give you something."

A small crack in the tailed beast's defense, and a curious pupil creeped its way out from under its shade.

Naruto quietly padded his way over to the once king of demons and for the first time crossed the line where the barrier used to be completely unimpeded. It was gone now. No matter what happened, he was done. He stopped right before the great beast's nose. Even though he had estimated the great fox as being greatly shrunken, he was still something to be standing in front of. Though his breath was something hard to tolerate, rancid as his body consumed itself.

He reached out and touched the nose, black as tar, and as he rested it there it glowed blue. The Kyuubi's eyes widened another fraction, though he failed to see the significance beyond a symbolic gesture.

"Touching. But you do not have nearly enough to restore me to my former grace. You barely have enough to stay alive, if you give me what is left you will die."

Naruto gave him a sad smile and light shrug of his shoulders.

"One of us dies. Or we both die. I've given it my try, now…. It's your turn."

The Fox did not know whether laugh or bite the stupid brat's head off. Though the inflow of Chakra was making him feel better, he settled for a disinterested huff all the same.

"Didn't you hear me? It's useless. All the Chakra in your entire body at its peak doesn't even equal a drop in the bucket to my power."

At that moment a single thought, a memory ran through both of their heads thanks to the physical bond they now shared.

" _Energy and matter are interchangeable…. We have known this for a long time now."_

Could it be? Could it really be so simple?

"When you roamed free, your body was still made entirely of Chakra, right? Well, how much energy do you think my body is worth?" He reached his other hand that was not gently resting on the fox to his own face, tracing his own incised marks. "Flesh for flesh, and blood for blood."

For the first time in a long time, the Kyuubi felt a toothy grin spread across his face.

"You give me your Chakra? Your body? Your life? You will be nothing but a husk when it is all over, and I will take even your dusty bones."

Naruto nodded, already having agreed to the terms before he entered the chamber. The chamber which was already falling to pieces around him, bricks falling down around him and the fox. Even if he did not do this he was not sure how long the seal would last. Even if the Kyuubi sacrificed himself for Naruto's sake, without the Fox in him, he would surely die himself. It was like a cave suddenly depleted of water became a sinkhole, he would collapse. This way, at least, one of them might make it.

"In exchange…"

"Ah," The grin did not leave the beast's face. "There is always the exchange isn't there?"

"You will do your best to protect my friends, you will protect them and everything that is important to them."

The Kyuubi had to restrain his laughter, lest he literally bust a gut at what was surely the most ridiculous situation in the history of this universe and every other they had set foot in. The kid had him by the balls for sure, if this somehow got out, he would never live it down. Good thing he would be the only one left when all was over. He would make sure of it.

Still, he decided it would be interesting to humor the boy, at least a little bit. He would take care of the immediate problem, but after that he would do whatever he wanted. He was the king of the Tailed Beasts, now and forever.

"Very well, you give me your bones, your blood, your skin, your Chakra, and your life….

And in exchange I will give you your pound of flesh!"


	29. When Universes Colide

**I'm back by popular demand!**

 **Just kidding. This was way overdue, I know, I know. Again, finals. Life. Death. All that jazz. Poor excuse for not updating sooner but hey, I'm not exactly getting paid to do this.**

 **But seriously, thanks to each and everyone of you who continue to stick with my deranged ramblings. I appreciate your feedback and your support, truly I do. This started purely as an outlet to my own mobius loop of thought process, but I have always valued the opinion of others. Now, more so it seems the deeper I dig myself into this pit. But its a good pit. There's snacks and wifi.  
**

 **Brehze,** **IlluminatiAnimeLover789 , dekuton, Zin0179, thank you so much for your brief but inspiring comments.  
**

 **ArialArika,** **I really appreciate you pointing out some of the things you find distracting, and I will strive to take them to heart. I don't really mean to leave cliff-hangers mid chapter, but sometimes my mind just hops around from person to person when events happen simultaneously and I just tend to follow that. You're right about the balance, too. I have a hard time trying to pin down exactly where the Grimm stand on a level of strength, and as such their presence remains more on the level of 'nuisance'.**

 **BluJuice, I am always severely humbled when I get a review like this. I realize that I have a long way to go to making something I wouldn't hesitate to show in the general public, and final polish is planned at some point. But more than that I want to take this as a learning experience for when I might attempt a more original storyline. I try to play to my fortes, but will fully admit that I am not as proficient as others at using aspects like the Japanese language to their fullest. But that does not mean I will keep from trying. We all strive to improve ourselves, and the only way to do so is to continue to practice. **

**So with that said, I apologize in advance with once again leaving you with a cliffhanger, but rest assured the next update will not be nearly as long a wait. And I hope it continues to bring as much pleasure to my cute little readers as it does to me.**

 ***Supply of Pleasure Limited***

* * *

Even as he was losing, losing the battle outside, and himself here inside, piece by piece in the hollows of his own mind, he was unwilling to relent. He did not view his actions as a sign of forfeit, for with each piece of flesh, each drop of life handed over willingly to that symbiotic creature he had only recently acknowledged as part of himself, he imbued it with carefully measured portions of his will and intent. He was not giving up the ghost, he was merely passing it on.

Though all logic said that he would most likely cease to exist in the aftermath of this odd ritual, he could not help but feel that there was something else unaccounted for, something besides his body of muscle, tissue and fat. Something besides the restive energy tumbling through their pathways, a piece of him which would live on. There, but not there. What was that called? He could not remember. Hanging on to memory was becoming too hard.

The beast itself could not be brought to care, nor pay any attention to what thoughts might be manifesting within the death throes of his previous jailer. He was too much enthused with this sudden windfall to take notice of that insignificant sack of flesh feeding him through an IV drip of viscous azure, as said meatbag lay complacently on the chamber's floor. The mortal coil would soon be gone, from this world and hopefully every other (the Kyuubi did not want to contemplate the possibility of running into the annoying brat at any other juncture) and the great Fox would become whole again. He would neither be, nor be beholden to a parasite for that precious energy. He would be complete, and indebted to no one as it was always intended to be.

Even as he relished in the invigorating feeling, the Fox could not help but feel antsy and impatient with the relatively slow process. Contemplating all of the carnal pleasures he would enjoy when he found himself outside once again could only occupy him for so long, and his wandering gaze turned back on the slowly decaying body of his latest container. This might only have been a surreal manifestation of the boy, but it brought him pleasure none the less. Seeing the leprosy consume him from the toes on up made him ever so glad that he was not a construct of flesh and blood. Naruto lay flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling with a straight face seemingly devoid of emotion, but with narrowed eyes the beast's acute vision caught the last glittering trail of a tear streaking down his cheek.

This was just too perfect.

"What's the matter whelp? Which foolishness are you now regretting? Is it chasing after the other little meatbag? Is it trusting that naïve old man? Coming to his school? Making friends? There are so many that I can't remember them all… help me out here." The king of the tailed beasts was no longer afraid of the soon-to-be-former Jinchuriki suddenly reneging on his promise, it was far too late in the process to stop it in any case. And he was no longer afraid of what would become of him on the outside, figuring that if the blond had survived thus far, then with his donated flesh, in whatever form it was to assume, the Kyuubi should be alright as well.

There was quite truthfully, a modicum of regret after he uttered the barb. He was the epitome of hatred after all, but this human was perhaps the most interesting he had ever encountered, offering him an unprecedented opportunity at rebirth, not only in a fresh new body, but in a fresh new world. That did not mean that he had not irked the great beast during his lifetime, however, and his toothy grin only grew with the anticipation of what added strife the jibe would bring him.

But Naruto did not rise to the challenge. He did not utter a single word to acknowledge the fox nor what surely must have been the excruciating pain as the flesh peeled itself away from his fingertips, and like confetti on a strong wind, wafted over to the rapidly heeling hide of the Fox. He was too busy focusing on more important things than a vindictive furball. Sure, he had regrets, but nothing so base as to revolve around himself and his predicament.

He simply regretted not being able to know for sure if this sacrifice would be in vain. It was all he had left in him, but he still wanted it to count. He wanted to be able to see the face of his friends one last time, and know that they were safe. He would settle for that. He would have to settle for less.

What might it be like, from the inside looking out?

* * *

"Look out!"

Glynda whipped around to see a charging Boarbatusk bounding upward over the rows of seatbacks like a black log rolling in her direction. When had it had the time to get behind her? Even as this question passed through her head, she already found that she had thrown herself flat against the ground as the midnight beast gave one final tumbling leap at her, already commencing its deadly revolutions.

But even as it went sailing over her with its razor-sharp spines like a Buzzsaw hissing in the air above her head, she somehow caught the near invisible vapor trail following a muted bang which managed to intercept the beast even in its insane gyrations. There was a whimper and a crash as the black and white blur careened out of her sight, and a pause of a few seconds as she caught back up on events, realizing for the first time that the voice of warning had not come from inside her own mind.

Using a seatback in front of her, she lifted herself quickly to her feet, and glanced up the rows of seats to where the Boarbatusk had likely landed, only to see the body rapidly vaporizing out from the massive rut it had gouged. She then snapped her head to her other side only to see the voice of reason that had manifested itself so timely in her favor.

General James Ironwood stood there stock still with his arm locked and extended, revolver still smoking from its most recent activity. And though the man was still immutable in his stance, he did appear to be worse for the wear. His prim military cut was slick with grease and the stray hairs that swept across his forehead were matted to his brow with sweat. The tailored white uniform he had born so proudly was torn half to shreds, the right sleeve gone altogether leaving his military-grade prosthetic exposed to the world. What part of his body wasn't covered in tarnished metal was swathed in red scratches and black ash that had permeated his skin.

But the disheveled appearance of the man did not bother Glynda, nor did any of her personal feelings about the man get in the way of the relief which overcame her at his sight. After all, she probably did not look too great herself, and the mere fact that the both of them were alive was cause enough for celebration.

Her hand whipped up and tossed an eraser-sized object at the man who with a surprising amount of delicacy intercepted it with his mechanical appendage before it could impact his face. He opened his palm to see the still intermittent blue light of the distress beacon winking up at him.

"You're late."

He gave a single chuckle as he hocked the now superfluous device to the side and once again met the woman's gaze which was displaying even now a rare glint of amusement. Then again, it could have been the dim light, because the rest of the glare was clearly 100% Goodwitch ire.

Not that he could blame her either. This whole day had not entirely gone according to plan, and from the circumference of destruction around the woman, along with the sprawled bodies of White Fang members piled every which way, it was easy to see that she had had a particularly trying time with it.

Still, that did not warrant the attitude she directed his way given his timely arrival. He huffed even as he made his way up to her position.

"It's not like I didn't have my own problems to take care of, you know."

She sighed and her stern expression softened slightly as she relented.

"The field hospital staff are all ok, you'll be glad to know."

She was. It was a small concession in this day of loss, and it assured her that even though she had not been able to guarantee the safety of any students, that a handful had now been confirmed to have made it out unscathed. Relatively.

"And the rest?"

The hard man's expression turned grim, and the shadows stacked up along with the bags under his eyes.

"We have no idea how many spectators were in the stadium when we went down, but we've been keeping a count of the injured and the rest that were brought in…" Here the man paused and averted his gaze. He was a soldier, and death was a sure thing in his profession. But his glory years were far behind him, and the majority of his service had been spent in peace. And even in the sporadic conflicts that did arise, the dead constituted soldiers and enemies. Civilian collateral was unheard of in their day and age, and so what he was forced to admit was impossible to quantify in his mind, and yet that was exactly what he had to do.

"And?"

The woman pressed him, and he could not help but admire her fortitude.

"We've counted twenty-one-hundred dead so far, and about a quarter of that is from the people brought in injured."

The headmistress clenched her eyes shut, now it was she who could not meet his furtive glance. In reality It was perhaps better than they could have hoped for. At maximum capacity, Amity Coliseum could hold 7,700 spectators and an additional 500 staff and competitors, and they had been quite near that when the cruiser hit so it was just over a quarter that had perished thus far. Still, each of those had been someone who had not had to die.

And to make matters worse, from what Ironwood had stated almost a quarter of that, perhaps 500 had died on the operating table, either from injuries sustained during the crash, or perhaps from the two subsequent invasions. The majority of medical staff that they had acquired were all from the student body for the most part, and so each of those deaths would be attributed to one of those unfortunate children who would be forced to question their fault in the whole travesty of a response.

It was an improbable confluence of ill fortune that brought them here, and in those regards that loss of life was an acceptable amount. But for the students who would shoulder the burden of having all this happen on their watch, there were no amount of words that could assuage that kind of guilt. And it would then fall to her to sweep up the pieces of their shattered innocence. It would be her job, and she as she feared, hers alone.

Was Ozpin still alive? What about Naruto, Sasuke, Pyrrha, and Amber for that matter? What was going on outside those walls, what kind of situation could have precipitate the fierce battle they had been waging? What sort of calamity could have brought down upon them these plagues all at once?

This time, even as painful as they might be, she sought the answers. Even as her internal dialog waged war looking for internal responses, her body acting on some more primal instinct found itself moving off into the darkness alone. It realized suddenly what she had been doing prior to the intrusion of Grimm and Faunus terrorists, and adrenaline yanked her aside once again to search for the four, all too-often wayward students who had been lassoed out of her sight as soon as she had become overwhelmed by the Grimm piled on top of the White Fang.

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest as she leapt off into the smoky darkness against the echoing protests of Ironwood, so far away in her concerns that he may as well have been among the piles of dead. She yelled out their names past the scratching of her throat which had become layered like volcanic ash.

"Ms. Schnee! Ms. Belladonna! Ms. Xiao-Long! Ms. Rose!"

There was no answer but the incessant crackling of dying fires all around as she probed the darkness with her desperate cries.

"Ms. Schnee! Ms. Belladonna!..."

She took another step, slipped and fell to a knee as she broke down into a coughing fit. She removed her hand from across her mouth and spat out a nasty black blob that had become dislodged form her hacking. She paid no mind to the very undignified but necessary gesture and gulped down the air that had been stolen from her.

"Weiss! Blake!" She continued to call as she picked herself up and recommenced tracing the direction she had seen the four girls run off in. She kicked off her high-heels, for once finding them an unbearable hindrance. Each passing second that they delayed her, each second that a response was not forthcoming was another slap in her face, condemning her for neglecting her primary duty.

She knew that if Ozpin were to hear this he would berate her for such a negative thought.

But he wasn't there. He was probably dead.

As were all the others.

"Yang!"

"Ruby!"

"Team RWBY…."

She slowed now, her strength dying with her last desperate plea. The all but certain knowledge that it was in futility robbed her of it. They had already lost so many today. She had yet to hear how many of the students had succumbed to the invasion, but she dared not hope for the best. Not now. Perhaps never again. What was there really to hope for now? She had let those four students out of her sight for a split second because she could do nothing to stop them. She had let the other three go because she didn't **think** she could do anything to stop them. And here she was now, chasing shadows, and trying to stop the world from turning.

"Over here!"

Too elated with the sudden outburst, she had no time to redress herself with self-doubt as to whether or not she was simply imagining the outburst, and she deftly skipped over seatbacks in the direction of the call, her stockinged feet tearing and scraping at the oft-twisted metal and plastic. But even if she had had her Aura activated, she would have felt no pain in that elated state.

She saw the white dress before anything else, even in the dim light it was quite an arresting sight. It was not until she got within spitting distance that the blemishes became noticeable, both the big and the small. And it was still quite the piece of work, stained as it was, the untoward marks contrasting heavily with the base color giving off a stomach-turning tie-dye.

The young Schnee heiress was struggling to carry the limp form of her much larger teammate, once swathed in shades of gay yellow, now a homogenous mass of ruddy brown a shade too familiar for Glynda's liking. The jacket that she had adorned had long since been abandoned, or perhaps stripped off of her in an attempt to assess the damage, which even at this distance and light was evidently sever. The slowly drying blood stemming from the young woman's sternum was pooling there in her cleavage, and having already soaked through the tank-top was now flowing down onto the other girl straining under her heavier weight.

The headmistress's face became as pale as Weiss's as the situation unveiled itself to her, but she did not waste any time dwelling on frivolous emotions such as shock as she practically flew the last few steps towards the two young huntresses. Her arms had already found themselves underneath the unresponsive blonde boxer and despite the petite girl's best efforts, the strain finally proved too much for her and Yang practically dropped into her awaiting grip.

Glynda did not falter, however, despite being a well-proportioned woman, her statuesque height lent her increases in strength ample enough to lay the young woman down gently on the ground. A clear a space as any, as once Weiss relinquished the other woman into her care, she quickly swept away any lingering debris from the walkway with her scratched hands and chipped nails. The responsible adult quickly went to work assessing the girl's condition, starting with the most evident injury, but careful not to miss anything else that would later hinder her efforts.

Her hand hovered over the pool of blood which was sloughing off her raised chest and onto the ground, before it darted to her own skirt and quickly tore off a healthy peace which she then used to wipe off as much blood as she could from the puncture which was barely visible underneath the muddy pool. It was more like trying to bail out water from a sinking ship than cleaning a wound, and the cloth soon became inundated. But it had served its purpose, and tossing it aside, she could at least now see the extent of the damage.

A clean cut. The smallest but most bravely wished for favors in this bleak day was granted. But even as she viewed the vertical injury along came the slightest indication that it was not as of yet too late, a shallow rising of the chest, which unfortunately brought forth a new wave of spurting fluid which obscured her operation once again. She barked out a curse which was so unexpected that it made the other, otherwise complacent observer who was hovering over the woman's ministrations, jump back in fright at the shocking expletive. She flinched again when a delicate but blood-stained hand was shoved in her direction.

"Water Dust."

The simple statement made the inexperienced huntress blink in no small amount of confusion as the other woman's eyes were still fixated on her charge, despite the apparent demand directed towards her. It was a hesitation no one, least of all the unconscious blonde could afford.

"Now!"

This then stirred Weiss out of her daze, and she quickly fumbled with her weapon once holstered, now all but forgotten at her waist. She tumbled through the revolver's cylinders searching frantically for any of the requested substance that she might have left which had not been expended in the recent bout. Her fingers found the telltale pale blue vial even before her eyes saw it, and despite her trembling digits she was able to pass the precious substance over to the one who had requested it.

Glynda accepted it without a word, and her still nimble finger deftly pried off the lid which kept the granulated substance housed. Very carefully, as to not disturb the volatile substance, she took a gentle pinch of the glowing blue particles and held it over the barely-breathing Yang.

With only the tiniest pressure, like she was trying to give an ant CPR, she 'popped' the granules and out of that miniscule amount a pitcher full of water flowed and cascaded onto the once again muddied wound. The water quickly washed away the blood which had suddenly accumulated, and not missing a beat Glynda already had a swatch of her skirt in the other hand and was sponging up the result.

This time when her hand shot out, it was even less a request than demand, as she knew exactly what she was looking for. Still not looking up from her work, the blonde woman snatched the pocket-sized sewing kit from within the folds of the stained-white dress. Weiss, just watching passively, was too surprised at the action to be indignant at the invasion of her privacy, and also too shell-shocked to ask the question of why the older woman happened to know where she had stashed the kit.

Before Yang's body could muster another attempt at a breath, Glynda had already applied a good deal of pressure on the wound with one hand, while somehow managing to thread the needle with the other. Just because she had never been a housewife, didn't mean that she hadn't had ample practice with the utensils. She was, after all, in charge of a combat school. Quick as a seamstress her nimble fingers glossed over the much too pale skin, trailing the thread behind and suturing the wound closed before the still stunned girl's eyes.

She bit off the remaining string and tossed the now superfluous needle aside, tying a simple knot to secure the ends. For once, she missed the dusty old Qrow and his perpetual flask of disinfectant. She let out a sigh of relief as the young woman again attempted to draw a shallow breath, and yet the ugly fix on her once perfect chest did not rend. Her face could not show any satisfaction at her job well done however. It had saved her life, hopefully, but it would without a doubt leave a lasting scar. A blemish forever etched on Yang's skin, and Glynda's conscious.

And even though one wound had been dealt with, there was still far more to do. The night was young, more so than she, and it had already seen fit to age her even further.

Finally Glynda glanced back up at the anxiously awaiting teammate of the victim. Weiss almost wished she hadn't though, when she saw the frigid look directed her way. She involuntarily gulped and tried to assure herself it was simply a product of the severity of the situation, and not a reproach for any unconscious misstep on her part.

"Where are your teammates?"

Weiss opened her mouth only to realize that no words were forthcoming. In her myopic mission to get help for her severely wounded friend she had lost track of her team leader and their resident Faunus. Thankfully, the responsibility was alleviated from her shoulders when a weary voice interrupted their huddle from the darkness behind the white-haired girl.

"We're right here."

Though the new voice was too scratchy and hoarse to be recognized immediately, both huntresses had no troubles picking out the visages of the two missing team members through the dark haze. Though their faces were easy enough to recognize, there was a very foreign and unaccustomed solemnity etched behind the dark smudges adorning both of their faces. It made them both look like different people, faces familiar only as one dreamed.

The stern look the headmistress had instinctively adopted broke upon the revelation that the other two were alive, and from the look of things, intact. Thought before she could let herself relax fully, she comprehended the look shared by her two charges, which contradicted her earlier assessment. They did not appear to have sustained any major injury to their bodies. Though they both seemed to be supporting one another as they picked their way carefully over the rubble, there steps were steady enough. But more than that there was a certain fragility worn like a porcelain mask. The normally stoic and reserved black-haired beauty was visibly shaken, and though her captain was admirably showing a tough front, it was painfully obvious that something had touched a harsh chord in the two of them.

"We're fine."

As if reading the unspoken thoughts of the two conscious women, Ruby spoke for the two of them, contradicting their concerns with an obvious lie. Still, they were both on their legs, however shaky they might be, and the spatter of blood flecked across the youngest girl's face did not seem to be her own, so for the moment the only thing Glynda could hope to do was to praise these smallest of favors, that her oversight had not resulted in any deaths, so far.

The younger woman was another story, however.

Even before the scythe-wielding girl noticed the prone and pale form of her sister sprawled out between her teammate and teacher, Weiss was already on her feet and half-way over to the two of them. As Ruby opened her mouth in what might have been a shocked exclamation of dismay, her partner cut her off, assuring her that her sister was fine. Ruby bit her lip to keep any unthought words within their seal, but clearly wished to protest this statement, seeing the unhealthy pall of white on her sister's skin and disturbingly fresh pool of blood in which she still lay.

Still, she didn't get to adopt this expression for long before a shocked look was forced upon her, as Weiss thrust her body onto the two women busy supporting one another. She somehow managed to envelope the two of them under her petite frame, swaddling them with her almost glass like embrace. Both Blake and Ruby could only muster identical slack-jaws as they were buried into the abnormally warm gesture, their own turbulent thoughts smothered by the unaccustomed display of affection.

"You two are alright! I'm just so, so, glad!"

And with that the frozen wall with which she had held her emotions at bay for so long melted and gave way to a torrent of tearful moraine. Oddly enough, this unprecedented admission of fragility from their reserved teammate helped instill a renewed strength in the other two. Concern for another superseded the need for inwardly directed compassion, at least temporarily. Not that they could blame their teammate for this late-blooming development of sentiment, it had without a doubt been a trying day for all.

It also helped the mute observer come to terms with her own inwardly directed verbal lashing as she watched the touching scene of camaraderie, all the while the little voice trying to remind herself that this would not have even been necessary if she had been able to do her job properly. But even she could not hold her inability to shepherd the blooming huntresses in contempt for long, it had been a hard enough task staying above water in the flood of White Fang members and later Grimm which had washed over them in the wake of an already calamitous disaster.

Her brow furrowed and small wrinkles which she might later worry would lead to crow's feet appeared on her face at this thought. It had indeed been a series of coincidentally unfortunate events which had lead them to where they now were. In fact, one would have to be foolish or blind to assume that they were indeed coincidences, and not in fact carefully planned orchestrations by their devious enemies. The question then remained, why had they not seen this coming? With all of their accumulated knowledge from Ozpin and his numerous operatives, they should have been able to prevent this, or at least guessed that it was coming.

Shouldn't they?

But even this event in its entirety, which had seemed to catch them so well off-guard smacked of a rushed operation. Even the apparent leader of the White Fang had admitted as much in his off-hand remark at the beginning of the combat. And they had survived after all. At least most of them had. So, did that mean that their enemies were simply incompetent. Was it bad luck? Or maybe, something else?

But the stray thoughts which were festering silently over the unknown fate of the largest threat broke out violently, and cast her aside from these internal evaluations, forcing her to interrupt her student's consolation session with what might be a hard question.

"Where is Adam Taurus?"

Even as their heads were buried in the stray locks from Weiss's now loosened ponytail, Glynda caught the two, dark-haired girl's flinch, and the pained look flit back over their faces. Even the previously sobbing girl suddenly stopped the waterworks as she could feel the tension manifest in the two within her grip, which she loosened to allow her friends to address the gentle command. She looked between the two as they could only meet the straight stare of their senior.

"Dead."

Ruby herself felt a pang at the hollow response her Faunus friend gave to that question, as she could not help the lash of guilt which wrapped itself around her neck in the knowledge that it had been she who had done the deed. She had taken a life, not only from this world, but obvious to her even in her socially stunted mind, someone that was close to her teammate and friend.

This answer satisfied the older woman, however, and she nodded gravely at the response, knowing then the reason behind their pained expressions as well as the hard road the two had ahead of them. Of course, it would be hard on all of them as she knew it would become her duty to heal these invisible wounds long after she dealt with those on the surface.

But even in this troubled trail of thinking there was the spark of hope that went along with it. The knowledge that in the end it could be fixed, because they were all alive, and that was the only thing at the moment that mattered.

But how exactly were they alive? The White Fang had appeared in droves, but there were only a finite number. The Grimm, on the other hand, while stymied by the walls of the stadium, had seemed to come in and endless, if sporadic stream, only to suddenly retreat from the battleground like a cat which had abandoned a ball of yarn, no longer interested in batting it around.

As she looked around at the destruction which still encompassed every inch of the once gleaming stadium around them, she could see the remains of the tarnished white armor of the Faunus terrorists lying strewn about the wreckage under the dim glow of the waning firelight. But nowhere did she see even a hint of the larger and more animalistic creatures which they emulated. The Grimm had vanished from their sight. Both the dead, obviously, as well as the 'living'. This abject lack, more than relieving her, made her nervous.

So it was no surprise that her entire body froze with the ice which creeped in to her limbs as an unearthly howl echoed throughout the open arena and rung their bones like tuning forks. Though they had all to some extent been vaguely aware of a commotion besides their own going on outside the walls which both trapped and defended them, and flinched on occasion when they heard tell of an especially violent impact or explosion, they had been too engrossed in the life or death scenario unfolding in front of them to pay it much head.

But this cry, half growl half shriek, wholly comprised of pain, joy and wrath would have halted even the fall of rain as it now made each and every one within earshot halt involuntarily with hitched breath and hearts all simultaneously skipping a beat.

It was impossible to speak until the echoes had died out, and even then, there was a hesitance with the innate knowledge that something had accompanied that ungodly sound out of the maw and was now present with them on this earth.

"W-what was that?"

Nobody was even sure who asked the question as they were all thinking it, and it must have come collectively from their fear-addled minds. But even though the question was given voice in that eerie silence which fell after the rumbling settled, no one was brave enough to hazard an answer.

But even in the midst of that debilitating fear, another distress started to swell in the hearts of all those still conscious. Concern for their comrades abandoned on the outside of the wall shoved its way to the forefront. And it was this apprehension which was now coursing through their blood and quickly pushing out the ice in their veins and stirring them to movement.

This nagging thought never being far below the surface for Ruby, made her the quickest acting. In her small stature and she was able to purge her body of the paralyzing agent before any of the others. Now that those immediately around her had been deemed in no immediate danger she and remembered their other wayward friends that had been separated from them so long ago and knew that she had a duty to go to their aid.

"Ruby!"

Weiss managed to call after her team captain as the younger girl broke free from the invisible shackles which still bound the other three remaining. Her words fell well behind the thrashed edge of her crimson cloak as it trailed the rapidly fleeing huntress. Without even thinking, Ruby stole another page from her two male friends, who were presently outside the walls and very much closer to whatever had frozen the world with merely a sound. She leapt from the highest row of seats while still in the midst of her accelerating semblance, and like a firework streaming through the cloudy night she shot up onto the rim of the coliseum, quickly digging in the blade of her weapon to keep herself from sliding over the edge.

She righted herself on that perilous edge and was suddenly very grateful that she had a sturdy grip on Crescent Rose as she gazed out over the landscape still smothered in the darkest part of the night, for otherwise the abject shock she experienced might have made her falter and tumble down over the side and into the awaiting sea of darkness before her. As it was, her grip unconsciously tightened around the haft of her weapon, and every other muscle in her budding body clenched when the image presented to her eyes reached her brain.

The burning rush to action which had so quickly moved her to action just as soon abandoned her again and she was once again turned to stone.

She could only look on at the incredible scene unfolding before her, unable to fully comprehend what it was but also unable to deny its cataclysmic profundity.

"Ruby! What has gotten…into...you…?"

Weiss's chastisement of her leader's sudden flight died off along with her labored panting as she staggered up from the wall's edge, her foot stumbling slightly as it left the last of her glyphs forming a ladder up to the top. She caught sight of what had obviously entrapped the attention of the younger woman and was also struck dumb with the scene that was presented to her.

Similar reactions affected the other two as each through their own means caught up to the speedy huntress after they too shook off the initial debilitating feeling. Despite being the most experienced of the bunch, even Glynda had to keep herself from dropping the limp form of Yang as she stepped off the hastily raised platform and onto the marginally more solid ledge. It was quite hard to miss the landscape of destruction spread out before them from their vista. And it was even harder to ignore the central figure in that picturesque hell stretching as far as the eye could see. The focal figure coated in needlelike burnt orange and black, bathed in an ethereal light without an obvious source.

Despite the now highly agitated Grimm Dragon circling overhead and squawking indignantly at the writhing mass, it was fairly clear that it was not this moderately imposing being which had produced the earth-shaking noise which drove them to both action and inaction.

No, as the four pairs of eyes gazed on in a reverent awe at the mammalian mass which slowly started to unfurl like a bloody moonflower, they each instinctively knew that it was this unfathomable construct that had touched them so deeply. Not even its gargantuan size could rival the shear feeling of malice and just plain _wrongness_ which it exuded. Each of them had an untranslatable warning screaming out from their most buried genetic code that what they were witnessing just did not belong.

This time, nothing was said. What they were seeing could not be identified merely by describing the appearance. As it straightened above the settling dust and arched its back it assumed a vaguely vulpine form, though with an additional eight tails flitting about autonomously. But even calling it a fox would not be doing it justice, for even as an earthly rumble resembling a chuckle shook the tiles beneath their feet, it was obvious that whatever this was, was beyond their comprehension. Calling it a god or even a demon would only be a half-truth.

Whatever it was did not matter anymore, it was here in front of them as real as a wildfire. And somehow, they had to stop the inferno from consuming all that they knew. But what on earth could the four of them hope to accomplish all alone?

* * *

It was obviously a fleeting notion of madness which put him in his current predicament, standing alone between a veritable goddess of flame, her pet Dragon, and an unconscious or otherwise unresponsive teenager.

Oh, and certain doom. There was that lurking in the wings as well.

He could have sighed, but opted instead for a sharp intake of breath through his teeth as he danced around the stream of flame which etched its way through the ruined tile like a snake snapping at his heels. Though when he landed, he had to quickly shift to the other foot and leap off again, getting no respite from the whip-like appendage that the devilish woman controlled with nary more than twitch of her wrist. And while he was already breathing heavy, the toll from his previous battle and a building being dropped on him was finally showing its effect. The only variation from steady state which affected the woman was a mild chuckle as she smirked at his feeble efforts.

He begrudgingly had to hand it to the kid for keeping the woman at bay for as long as he had, though that had not been why he intervened. It might have been part of it, it might have been as he previously stated in his sorrowfully sober bravado that he was sticking up for a friend of his niece. It might have been many things including his usual propensity for getting mired in sour luck, or it could have been a deep-seated need for self-preservation which drove him to this madness.

A flick of his own wrist brought his scythe around his body and bisected the stream trying to intercept him, the rivulets parting on either side. As he winced as the near-miss of the liquid fire singed his eyebrows, he was inclined to believe the latter. It might have been madness to confront the person who had felled so many of his comrades before him, but it was clear there was no other option. Besides, he had his own axe to grind.

The blade twirled in his grip, catching the stream of flame in its makeshift turbine, becoming a vortex of flame in his grip which he loosed with a twirl of his own body, sending the flame discus back where it had come from.

He might as well have spit at the woman for all the good it did. She raised an eyebrow as if questioning his sanity trying to fight fire with fire, and for once Qrow was perhaps inclined to agree with her. He was far less sane without alcohol in his bloodstream.

He had no more time for introspection however, as the boomeranged move amused Cinder for only the briefest of moments, before she decided to illustrate just what the technique was supposed to look like. Crimson eyes widened and already pale skin whitened a degree further seeing the tornado of flame which was suddenly hurled at high speeds in his direction. There was no wrangling this one.

In fact, there was barely anything he could do, even in a desperate dodge, throwing himself bodily to the farthest side of the ruined tower he could still feel the conflagration lash out at his back through the last vestiges of his cape. And in fact, dodging it might have been more foolish than he first realized as he suddenly found himself tumbling into open air.

Simultaneously cursing and moving into action, he lashed out with his scythe, hooking the end to the crumbling lip of the tower. As it found purchase in the mistreated material, his arm was jerked almost out of its socket and his body protested the sudden change in acceleration as he slammed back into the wall. Painful though it was, it was better than the alternative, as a wave of flame lapped over his head, and he looked down the scant hundred meters to the other option. If it was possible, the Grimm looked disappointed, though he mused it was more at his poor showing than at his narrow escape from their clutches.

Not to be deterred by any firestorm or sea of teeth, however, with a quick show of acrobatics he flipped back up onto the relatively safety of the floor. Relative being the key word, for as soon as his two feet planted themselves firmly back onto the flat surface, they were nearly shaken off again as the massive reptilian Grimm touched down right in front of him, its mass shaking the whole structure and causing more than a few worrying cracks and groans.

Qrow clicked his tongue. Why did the bad luck always seem to so doggedly cling to him?

He was already resigned to his fate, however, and as he steadied himself, he raised his empty hand to the snarling beast, open palm beckoning in a 'come hither' gesture. If he was going to die, he was going to die cool. Never mind the fact that the last scrap of his cape was still on fire.

Though it appeared that the beast had grown bored of simply being an observer, it was surely in no hurry to devour this puny morsel. And apparently, it wanted to toy with him first. It unleashed a massive roar in his direction, the rank air washing over him and extinguishing the smoldering garment on his back.

But even as he began to regret his foolhardy bravado, the fetid breath was mercifully cut off with a choking sound as a bronze-colored blur alighted on the creature's extended neck. Its mouth slammed shut with a wet snap as its jaw was forced into the ground, this time making more than a few cracks as it sunk a few hands deep into the reinforced flooring.

Qrow blinked, and in the moment after he opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at the rather pleasant sight of a toned female backside kitted in Romanesque armor, which if anything accentuated the highly attractive muscled frame. Despite being imminently more pleasurable a sight than the bottomless pit lined with razor-sharp fangs he had been previously confronted with, it did beg the question of just what the hell was going on? His mind had gone blank, otherwise any of the dozen implausible possibilities that normally would have populated his thoughts would have seemed down right mundane in the current circumstance.

Reality insisted upon its streak of ridiculous and he was left no more time for contemplation. Even as the creature extracted its bruised cranium from the ground with a jerk from its muscled neck, another blur followed in the wake of the first. This time, it was harder to pick up on because it was black on black, but the effect it had was no less visible. The bus-sized head dipped again as the form impacted on its brow, but instead of forcing it down into the ground and quickly retreating from the rather dangerous position, the shade apparently had other ideas, as with slashes of a blade which could only be distinguished by the fleeting twinkles in the scant light, it tore into the armored hide.

Qrow had not yet tried his own hand at piercing that hardened material, but he had his own doubts over his blade's effectiveness. Not so, it seemed with the figure, as the beast gave a grinding screech with each blow that was directed at its forehead. It thrashed about in pain and desperation, trying to rid itself of this bighting insect. Finally, its efforts seemed to pay off, else its attacker was not achieving the headway it desired and the blur was cast off from the brow, only to touch down gently next to the well-formed female warrior on its ashen wings.

Though his reality was never one to be classified as normal, Qrow had to seriously question his own sober sanity with his two apparent saviors' timely arrival. An Amazonian warrior who towered over her demonic angle of a partner were hardly his idea of good luck coming to his aid, but who was he to complain?

"Are you through screwing about?"

The winged demon seemed eager to prove he had a temperament to match his complexion, as he turned halfway around and glared at the veteran huntsman with scarlet kaleidoscopes nestled in his overall charcoaled appearance. Even with facial features barely distinguishable past the homogeneously dark tone, Qrow could feel the scowl being directed towards him.

He blinked, as the nagging feeling in the back of his mind ushered him back within the borders of his own reality, and the gargoyle petulantly shaking its wings in front of him became recognizable in a different context.

"Sasuke?" He hazarded the most unlikely guess, but was proven right as the figure's gaze narrowed an iota. "What are you doing here?"

"Excuse me, but I think that-" The two interlopers threw themselves to either side of a clawed limb the size and weight of a crane slammed down in between them. Coming out of her own roll, Pyrrha hefted her spear at the cantankerous dragon's head with startling velocity. "-WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT!"

Showing more speed and awareness than it had the previous times it had been assaulted, the dragon cocked its head back and let the implement sail under its chin. Lest they give the creature the idea that they were as simpleminded as it was, Pyrrha redirected the weapon back towards her now black-sheathed hand, and it complied, doubling back in a tight arc. Obviously unaware of the woman's innate ability, the dragon was once again totally unaware as the metal missile struck right on target, lodging itself in the beast's eye.

The other two combatants were all too eager to follow the huntresses' advice as they both leapt out of the range of the Grimm's pained thrashing. It howled in dismay as it whipped around back and forth trying to dislodge the offending object from its eye, its tail swiping around violently, forcing Qrow to duck underneath more than once in the course of his evasion.

But even as it seemed they had scored a minute victory, they were given no time to pat themselves on the back as they were suddenly reminded of the larger threat to their health and wellbeing. With as much brawn, and easily three times the brain of the monster Grimm, Cinder once again descended upon her enemy, and Qrow was slow to put up any sufficient kind of defense.

As embarrassing as it was to once again be saved by a junior huntsman less than half his age, Qrow found himself exceedingly thankful for the young man's intimate spatial awareness as he interjected himself between the scythe wielder and the oncoming wall of flame.

Qrow was hesitant to guess what the younger man might hope to do when confronted with such an unvarnished display of power. And at one time Sasuke might have agreed that it was a move more easily understood coming from his bullheaded teammate. But after months of hesitance and careful avoidance, he had stumbled upon the unanticipated evolution of his once accursed seal. It appeared that in addition to no longer being harassed day and night by the sultry whispers of the seal, the abilities it bestowed had evolved as well. The extent to which he could not yet fathom. But for now would settle upon the immediately tangible benefits.

Namely the fact that upon growing wings they were no longer those grotesque travesties of hands, but rather something akin to that of a raven's. More flight-worthy, though no less sinister in his opinion. Especially when coupled with the overall shroud of darkness which percolated over his otherwise unmarred skin.

Oh, and he could control fire a hell of a lot better.

In fact, he seemed to be able to control all of his elemental manipulations with greater ease, without that nagging voice inside of his head urging him to succumb to his more primal emotions.

It was too good to be true.

But it would do for now, and so it was with full confidence that he leapt in front of the taken aback Qrow, with the assurance that he was not going to sacrifice his all too precious life for a person who he didn't particularly like on a good day. And that sentiment was not because the man reminded him too much of his silver-haired teacher. Definitely not.

Instead of the two of them being seared alive by the quick burn, the winged archangel simply spread himself wide in the face of the raging inferno and the flames saluted his audacity, parting as they passed the two would-be victims by giving them a wide berth. But merely emulating the parting of the Red Sea was not the limit of Sasuke's ambition, and he knew that he had to do better than that if he were to best their current adversary.

His open palms clenched, and the flames rushing past haltedin their retreat, and as he crossed his arms across his crimson haori the inferno actually backtracked, the wall going concave and crashing in on itself before the churning whitewash coalesced into chutes of compressed heat. The entire intensity of the fires was compressed into molten vines the size of tree trunks which the young man bent to his will with but a thought. And opening one arm wide the flames rushed to encircle his extended appendage in a double helix which fed in on itself, condensing into a sphere the size of a basketball.

Cinder watched on with one eyebrow cocked in intrigue. She had kenned the boy right away, despite his drastic change, chalking it up to the boy's yet unknown semblance, and was more interested in the prowess it seemed to grant him to reign in her own fire abilities. It was not that she was worried, as long as it was ablaze, she could fight fire with fire.

But Sasuke was not done.

Even as he thrust the ball of flame ahead of him, finally releasing the strenuous hold which kept the totality of the firestorm at bay and a cone of unfathomable heat spread outward from his open palm rushing at the still bemused woman, he knew, they both knew, that it wouldn't be enough.

Though it was a little harder to eschew the blaze, just based on sheer intensity, she was the new Fall Maiden after all and it was well within her power. Rather than waste the effort to capture and redirect the dense stream, she instead shifted slightly in the air and held out a single hand to deflect it. Like passing a finger in front of a hose, the flames which never even directly touched her open palm, were splayed throughout the night sky behind her.

Her asymmetrical smirk endured the entire time the torrent of her own flames continued its assault, and as it trickled off into a sheen of afterglow, she couldn't help but assert her dominance with an appropriate jibe to the young man who was clearly trying so hard to kill her.

It was actually kind of touching, in a way. Never before had she been so despised on a personal level.

"Impressive. But really, you have a long way to go before you can hope to best me at-"

She drew back at the first sight of the achromatic missile shooting through the last remnant of embers, but she was a split second too slow to dodge the entirety of the boy's attack. For even as she evaded the black fish swimming out of the red sea, it dragged a crackling barb beside it on a hooked arm, and this hook managed to snag, tearing a deep gouge in her shoulder.

Her scream of pain could not be heard over the sound of thousands of birds decrying the false dawn, and she temporarily lost control of the flames which kept her aloft and fell clutching the already cauterized bite in her arm. She did not have far to fall, however, and luckily enough smacked down onto the floor of the tower, dangerously close to the edge but safe enough for the moment. This generated another bout of pain. But it was far less than the previous, and its anticipation helped focus her thoughts so that it did not unduly distract her from her now admittedly dangerous opponent.

She felt her teeth grind as she clenched her jaw, biting back the pain and pointedly ignoring the too familiar smell of burnt flesh as she staggered to her feet. She glared back across the arena to where the black specter touched down and immediately fell to a knee. She smirked, despite the grievous wound, because it was obvious that he had devoted far too much energy into that one attack. It was not a terrible gamble on his part, and it might have worked against her, given another hundred lifetimes or so.

But she was not a one trick pony herself, and even with one arm severely weakened, she could still fight. Proving this, with much effort she raised the damaged arm and locked it at the elbow, at which point a carbon colored bow manifested in her grip, and with her good arm she seamlessly knocked a single arrow which had not been there before and let it loose at the devilish boy still gasping for breath.

Sasuke was still getting used to this new transformation and had not anticipated just how much of his energy the redirection and counter would take out of him. Manipulation of the flames, and to a smaller extent the lightning-based Chidori had drawn not only a significant amount of chakra, but also stole a good chunk out from within him. Quite where, he could not yet place, as this was only the second time he had ever attempted such a thing while in this state.

But his adversary was not apt to give him a chance for a third attempt, as before he even realized she was on her own feet, the arrow she had knocked was sent in his direction far too fast for him to even contemplate avoiding. He didn't even have time to regret not preemptively unsheathing his blade in case of just such an outcome. He could only watch as the tiny series of concentric circles rushed at him in high definition glory, his suddenly cooperating Sharingan tracking every bend and wobble in its flight.

Of course, it also managed to track, seconds before it even actually happened, the timely intervention of a mildly dustier crow who cut the lone attack out of the air with a careless flick of his wrist. Sasuke himself was not so petty as to be embarrassed at having to be saved in such a situation. It had happened before, and his rescuer had been far more irritating to the young man on a personal level.

Cinder in turn deepened the frown which had snuck its way on her face during her fall, at this latest of developments. It was clear enough that she could handle one or the other no problem, but even at full strength she was unsure of her ability to tackle the two of them at the same time. With all of their current injuries, however, it was hard to judge how she might fare alone against the odds. But then again, she wasn't exactly alone.

To punctuate her internal monologue the armored body of Pyrrha came flying out from left field, crashing into the gallantly posed Qrow who tried to recover his pride with some kind of catch, but ended up with the redhead firmly seated upon his chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"Sorry." The said woman apologized as she rubbed the new dent she had acquired in her breastplate and struggled to balance herself with only Akoúo, not having been able to recover Miló since she had lodged it in the beast's eye.

"No problem." Qrow gasped out. "Need a hand?" He asked her, even as she offered her own to pick up the dazed man.

Three heads turned as a rumbling growl and irritated stomp reminded them of the other danger which still lingered in the area.

"If it's not too much trouble…" She shrugged with an apologetic look.

But of course it was. Spare hands were a precious commodity at this particular moment, and they were stretched thin as it was. Sasuke and Qrow had only managed a little headway with Cinder and her newfound proficiency with fire. And apart from missing an eye on the left side of its head, the only effect they seemed to have on the dragon Grimm was to piss it off enough that it was actively devoting itself to their demise, instead of taking the time to play with its food.

Just now catching his breath, Sasuke glanced around in search of what he hoped might even their odds a little bit. But he was having a hard time locating it. Despite the impressive fireworks show that he and Pyrrha had managed to spy on their short flight over the seamless tide of Grimm, he could find hide nor hair of his misanthropic teammate.

Before the blond had disappeared into the night, Sasuke could clearly tell that his selfless act was for once fueled by something other than naïve charisma, the telltale signs of the Bijuu's influence obvious now that he knew what to look for. With that kind of firepower on their side it should have been an easy win, as Sasuke himself might have attested to. So then, where was he now when they needed him?

Another mammoth growl and gnashing of teeth directed his vision once again back over to the monster Grimm, and without his legendary eyes he might have missed the fleeting glimpse of blond hair splayed out on the cold ground somewhere beyond the creature's legs. Even as he physically recovered from his strenuous attack, he suddenly felt incredibly weary at that ill-omen. For whatever the unresponsive sight of his colleague portended, it could not be good. Still, he refused to give up so early in the game. These months had humbled him with regards to his own strength, but borrowing a page from his teammate's book he reinvested hope into their chances at prevailing as a team.

One of his teammates was without one of their weapons however, so that took first priority. The beast lunged at them snapping its cavernous mouth in their midst as they scattered to all sides, never going too far from one another though, everyone recognizing that their chances lay with sticking together. As his wings shot him off to the side the polish brass haft of a familiar spear winked at him and Sasuke managed to arrest his hasty evasion. With but the barest touch of his foot with solid ground he was back off the direction whence he came in a flutter of wings.

Luckily enough for him, the Grimm was already blind on the side of his approach, so even with his poor luck that the creature then lashed out randomly in his direction, he had ample time to sidestep the cumbersome lunge and with a flighty leap passed right by the creature's head, snagging the protruding weapon in the process.

Wordlessly he hocked the weapon over the scaled head in a blind arch that he was confident would reach its intended target. On the other side Pyrrha easily plucked her weapon out of the air with light hop off the ground. And even as the dragon with its one good eye now trained on the Amazon recognized the imminent danger she posed, the woman had already shifted Miló into a rifle and let loose several potshots at that beady red optic.

However, there was a reason that this particular Grimm had survived long enough to become so massive, and it proved its ability to learn and adapt then and there as it clamped its lid shut in anticipation and blindly twisted its head towards the projectiles, intercepting them with the bony part of its skull. Already knowing where its target was, it had no need to look as it jerked the horned protuberances at the woman still shocked at her near miss.

She managed to duck underneath the unexpected headbutt, and barely managed to roll to the side to avoid the follow up as the creature slammed its claw down into the ground where she had been. But even flailing around aimlessly, the creature had an instinct as to where his flighty target had gone to, and Pyrrha was caught dead as the other bladed appendage came whipping at her from the other side.

Even as she threw herself down she realized that it was a bit too late to dodge the entirety of the massive swipe. But as it turned out, it was enough to dodge the swipe in its new trajectory as an equally sharp and curved object deflected it up and over the now two bodies.

"Watch yourself, kid."

Qrow grunted out as he lifted himself up from where he had taken a knee under the immense pressure of the Grimm's armed appendage. As he glanced back to make sure his latest charge was able bodied enough to recover herself, however, his narrowed gaze widened as a cloud of graphite-colored arrows swept across the battlefield towards them. A flash of red and bronze interjected itself at the last moment, and he could once again resume breathing as the laughing green eyes shot back his direction.

"Same to you."

Despite the playful banter, the two were not quite as lighthearted as they had been, recognizing the desperation of their situation being hemmed in from both side by powerful opponents. It might have been gallows humor if either had stopped to think about it, but the instinct to stay alive above all else prevented them from imagining this worst-case scenario. And indeed hope seemed to be clinging on with chipped tooth and nail as their third member once again made himself known.

Sasuke had by this time once again drawn out his trusted blade, and its honed edge was relentlessly biting into the small gaps in the beast's armor. While it was probably no more than a mild irritation to the mythical monster, it was ample enough distraction to turn its attention away from the other two for the moment. Which was good, because Cinder chose that time to remind them that she was still in the game.

A column of flame spewed forth from her open palms and splattered on the nigh-impenetrable shield held up in defense. Though the two were safely huddled behind its protective curvature, the shield's bearer had to bite back a wince as the metal she clasped firmly against her bare skin began to heat up rather uncomfortably. Thankfully the stream cut off rather abruptly and without wasting a split second the two had shifted to the attack and burst from behind their shelter.

Cinder was seemingly prepared for their assault, and was already waiting and ready with several arrows knocked. But even as her fingers started to loosen on the taught string, she had to take a swift step back flinging the arrows in wild directions as a black blur passed in front of her followed seamlessly by the raging Grimm as it tried again to snatch its prey from mid-flight. She was caught completely by surprise and almost dropped her bow as she unceremoniously tripped and fell on her rear.

The two attackers did not halt their charge at this latest development, and merely changed targets as with hastily coordinated grace each threw themselves at whatever glaring weakness was put in front of them.

A horizontal slash swifter than the eye could track passed over the open mouth from snout to adoral, removing more than a few of the deadly fangs. And with those barriers gone, the redheaded warrior leapt above the remaining ones and stood up to her imposing height within the gaping maw, simultaneously lodging the sharpened spear point into the soft and unarmored roof.

Instinctively the Grimm made to snap its jaw shut on the offensive thorn, which only served to drive the wedged object further into its upper palate. The throaty and wet screech nearly drowned Pyrrha as she clung on for dear life, trying as hard as she could to keep her grip on Miló as the beast shook its head back and forth in unadulterated rage, and to keep the weapon wedged between her and a messy end.

Though the spear had managed to lodge itself rather deep into the fleshy part of the creature's mouth, it had a hard time penetrating any farther, coming up against what must have been another unfathomably hard bone in the oversized skull. And soon, with all the shaking, and despite using all of her might to keep it drilled into the roof of its mouth, the pointed edge eventually slipped. Luckily for the weapon's owner, she was roughly tossed clear out of the cavernous mouth before the jaw could clamp shut.

Even though she had ample time to anticipate this eventuality and rolled to dissipate most of the harsh impact, Pyrrha still winced as her shoulder blades roughly scraped against the pockmarked surface. And worse yet, the creature did not seem to be much slowed by either the loss of a few teeth or the toothpick which had gotten caught in there afterwards. It had already begun to turn its attention back to the two pesky attackers when a commotion on the other side forced its attention away from them again.

It jerked its head up and back in what seemed to be surprise as a salvo of flames was sent its way. One managed to burst itself on its lower jaw, but the beast remained only mildly nonplussed, rather more intrigued than angry at being unintentionally targeted. But as its head lifted away, the two warriors caught a glimpse of the intense fight that was transpiring on the other side of the wall.

Sasuke and Cinder were engaged in a breathtaking dance of sword and fire, with the former obviously dominating in the fencing match, while the latter tried to retard his assault with her superior control of the flames. Sasuke had learned from his previous encounters though. And rather than trying to overpower the woman at her forte, he instead capitalized on his own strengths. Though he was far from the best swordsman around, he was solidly ahead of the injured woman who could hardly seem to deflect the long sword with her own hastily manifested blade and was furiously using her flames to give her a little breathing room.

But his previous attack had managed to slow down his enemy, and his two added appendages only made him faster. And so he was zipping to and froe all around, harrying the woman and relentlessly prodding her defenses. He was waging a war of attrition, pecking at any stray moves which opened up even non-vital areas in her defense. Normally this was not his style, and it was something more suited to his comatose teammate. But with the recently sustained injury coupled with the fact that the woman had been fighting continuously up until this point, Sasuke felt confident in this choice of tactic.

But there had been a shift in the normally immutable confidence on her face, and what they were not to know was just how frustrated Cinder had become. Gone was that condescending amusement at the interminable stream of rebellions to her victory. They had since proved themselves to be more than a simple irritation. She had initially assumed that she would have to take things seriously when confronted with the unpredictable blond, but his unusual early resignation had reignited her confidence in her own skills, and every other attack to this point had only reinforced this idea.

But now she was actually being pressed once again by opponents she had thought of as insignificant. Had she underestimated the powers of the Fall Maiden, or those of the two mysterious teens? Or had she overestimated her own? Regardless, she would muse over these questions later, after she was the only one standing.

This time, when Sasuke took a swipe at her intentionally feeble defense, she let go of her ashen blade, mildly surprising the blackened teen and causing a moment's hesitance. Which was just what she needed to gather the flames she had been so carelessly tossing about previous. They coalesced in a cocoon around her wrapped frame and Sasuke was forced to stop in his assault. Realizing what was about to happen, he tried to quickly backpedal away from the obvious boobytrap, but by that time it was already too late and the cocoon burst forth in a gaseous bubble which tried to immolate him.

His arm moved of its own accord, trying to put something between him and the oncoming wall of flame. Just because he could control the flames better, did in no way make him immune to their effect, and he could already feel some of his unruly raven locks catching alight.

In most cases, a blade was a poor substitute for a concrete wall between a person and an uncontrollable conflagration. But even though Sasuke had forgotten, the sword had not, and it remembered clearly its birth, that it was forged with more than steel. The flames latched on to the unconscious injection of energy into the length of the blade and like a black hole began to attract the wild blaze inside its alloy.

Sasuke watched incredulously as layer after layer of flame was diverted from the goal of his total consummation, to fueling the nova that his weapon had now become. Every millisecond that passed by only increased the intensity of the blade's brilliance, going from red hot, to white, to so bright that it was painful to look at with his acutely trained eyes. It was so astonishing that he was able to ignore all the flames that it didn't manage to capture in its limitless gravity, and which more than singed his other extremities.

Time stopped for all those that looked upon what was transpiring on that odd pedestal. Pyrrha and Qrow could only watch in astonishment mutated from horror as their comrade they thought was doomed suddenly reappeared from the nebula of fire with his sword aglow like a star being born in front of their eyes. Cinder's face had once again gone through its bipolar exercises as the evil smile was slapped off by pure shock. Even the Grimm dragon seemed intrigued enough by this once in a lifetime event to stop its pained thrashing and cock its head in curiosity.

But like Icarus flying too close to the sun, that winged man had no concept of just what power he was toying with, and whichever gods ruled over him in that brief instant decided to remind him of his mortal limitations. Soon after that joyous moment of glory when the lovingly forged blade had become a brilliant beacon of hope, the sword shattered with a crack that seemed to split everything in two. The blade, the sound, and even the sky were all rent asunder in an instant as that nova exploded outward, casting the blackened specter away from its expanding center.

His comrades tried calling out his name, but nothing could be heard over the blast, an accumulation of thousands upon thousands of roaring flames consuming everything in their path all at once. Everything went white for a handful of painful seconds like a flashbang going off in all of their faces.

Normal vision returned all too soon to reveal the aftermath. And like an actual cataclysmic event, the scene in front of them had changed at a cosmic scale. Everything in an evenly spaced radius around the two combatants was charred and black, the rooftiles all seamlessly blending one into the other in desolate equality. Even the boney face of the onlooking dragon seemed to have been somewhat bleached, and it was even whimpering as it pawed its one remaining eye with delicately retracted claws.

Fortunately, they spied the raven-haired youth soon enough. He had not been thrown too far off, but judging from where he lay immobile he had probably impacted the wall of Grimm on his trajectory. Which was probably the real reason why the beast was currently nursing a sore spot on its face. But it was painfully clear that he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, even though he was desperately trying to. Gone was the dark angle, and in its place they were returned an overly crispy teen, the obliterated wings lingering only as two light patches in the scorched ground around the young man. His clothes had mostly been burned away, vaporized in an instant and what remained was clinging to the flesh which was charred and blistered, the peeled skin and the threads snagging one on the other.

Still, those crimson eyes blazed hatefully in unwavering defiance, unscarred among that lunar surface.

And as the two bystanders followed their spite-filled trail, they stopped counting their blessings and simply tore up the scoreboard. What at first looked like a statue carved from coal, or maybe a french-fry stuck in the fryer all day, suddenly shifted. And like plaster cast the black coating started to crumble off, revealing a breathless, but otherwise unharmed Cinder underneath.

As if the woman couldn't even believe her own luck, she blinked incredulously, shaking off motes of black from her eyelids. She ran a hand through her still nearly immaculate hair, mild frizzing aside, and tossed her head back as if she was only shaking off a deep sleep. When her face once again leveled to where they could see it, it held an expression they had yet to see worn by the femme fatal. It was a small but rueful smile which somehow managed to convey every ounce of rage she could have possibly possessed in her body. Her amber eyes narrowed only slightly, but with a jaundiced malevolence that froze even Sasuke as he struggled to prop himself up on unsteady arms.

Red eyes fled from their post as the imposing woman took a few, near silent steps towards him. Neither Pyrrha nor Qrow could bring themselves to move to their friend's aid, paralyzed not out of fear or injury, but out of innate knowledge that there was nothing more they could hope to do. Sasuke watched her with a look that was unreadable in his marred face, but despite his apparent inability to fight back any longer, he was clearly not admitting to fear. Not yet.

Not ever again.

Her slow approach reminded him so much of his brother, so long ago and so far away. And yet this resurrected memory declined to bring along the bile with which it had always been associated. The image of his brother towering above him, above the bodies of his family while he was helpless to do anything about it no longer haunted him the way it used to. His burned body felt little, felt nothing, but he himself could feel another fire still flickering away deep within him. He recognized it as a seldom used emotion. But it was different from whatever he felt before, and it was reserved solely for what was unfolding in front of him.

All else was burned away, he could not think of the snake, nor of anything else that lead him up to this point. After that cleansing fire, his previous life did not exist. Was he born again from the flames, only to fall before their might? Irony seemed to be the only universal truth.

No, he decided as the woman towered over him and the scene stilled. There was at least one more truth.

"You know, you really are like your friend."

He knew.

"I was standing over him just like this. He too tried his best, but in the end it just wasn't enough."

What they did was never enough, there was no such thing. They had to keep fighting for every scrap of existence.

"It's sad, in a way, that nothing you two did had any effect. The world will keep on spinning, and a new dawn will come. Unfortunately, you won't be there to witness it." She bent down with her good arm propping her upper body as she spoke softly into his charred face. "Who knows, maybe in another time, another place, you two would have amounted to something. But not here. Here we play by our own rules which you two in particular seem to have a hard time following."

Sasuke strained to separate the melted flesh of his lips, ignoring the blood which trickled into his mouth as the skin tore off. From that small gap carried a handful of mumbles that even in her close proximity Cinder strained to hear.

"Hmm? What was that?"

She humored the dead man and leaned down further, nearly pressing her peerless cheek against his own ruined face as he struggled to wet his lips to try and repeat what could very well be his last words. If they were though, he wanted them to count. The strangled sounds tickled her ear as they finally worked their way free.

"Fuck your rules."

Her wicked smile only grew in mirth at this declaration. At first anyway.

They felt it before anything. All of the concentrated malice just displayed by Cinder would be but a pinprick compared to this lance of raw emotion which shot through all those present. It was a cold fire burning from the inside out, and it drained away all the color from her rosy cheeks.

With an unobstructed view, Pyrrha and Qrow were the first ones to actually witness something happening, though it began and ended in only an instant. One moment they were four humans and one imposingly large Grimm, and the next they were all but dwarfed by a presence which superseded all of their previous notions as to what was possible. It was not inconceivably larger, though having another creature which rivaled if not surpassed the Grimm dragon appear in a split-second was still shocking. But more than that, the totality of its presence was unfathomably dense, incomparably powerful, and impossibly filled with vengeance.

The sound it elicited was indescribable, but heard by all as a roar which shook every bone in their bodies. They all lost control of their facial features, not having a look which could properly convey the shock and awe appropriate in this instance. Except Sasuke. He smirked.

Fuck the rules.

He knew someone who broke them on a daily basis.


	30. Onto Transmigration

**Phew! Man was this a crazy week! You should be grateful that I survived, let alone finished off this chapter and Arc.**

 **In all seriousness, lots of personal shit going down kept me from penning more and sooner, but each and every one of you who took the time to review helped immeasurably. So give yourselves a pat on the back for stirring me to action, and inspiring me to keep on trucking.**

 **Thanks!**

 **0 Jordinio 0:** **hope your still with me after that. To answer your question, a little bit, yes. Mostly I just wanted to see how many people actually knew what a tabbard was :P What? I'm allowed to troll my readers. Plus, let's be honest, they go through about 1000% more clothing changes in fiction than they ever do in the anime or manga. Whatever they wear is but a fleetingly temporary state.**

 **ZENx** **Raider23 :** **Glad to have you join us, still surprised when I get new readers that manage to make it is far as you have. Hope I haven't lost you yet, and that the wrapping up of Volume 3 meets expectations.**

 **dekuton:** **Yes, to almost all of it :D I hope to expand on this in the coming chapters in the aftermath of Vol. 3**

 **ArialAkira : Sorry, didn't mean to intentionally ignore your last question in the last chapter update. All the same, will have to keep that a secret for now (i.e. I really don't know where I'm going with her, I just wanted to leave that open).**

 **Franchute:** **Gracias! Es increible para mi que yo tenga lectores de todo el mundo! Lees los cuentos en espanol tambien? Hay algunos buenos? I need to practice my Spanish! I will admit, though, I admire and probably take a little too much inspiration from Gabriel Garcia Marquez than is healthy for a fan fiction.**

 **And to the rest, sorry about leaving you guys on cliffhanger last chapter (Again)**

 **As well, in advance, I will warn you that this conclusion is a little bit thick. I make no apologies this time, however. With all the stress that is going on in my life right now, this is the kind of mood I'm in, so if the characters feel a little bit too introspective and moody, or maybe too sensitive, there is reason behind this. I am aware that my problems are insignificant in comparison to what I am making the characters go through, but be that as it may, I have experienced emotional states which physically effect me close to what I try and portray here, and recently, too. I cannot begin to imagine how a situation like this would effect me, so even though it is heavy, I do not think it is inappropriately dramatic.**

 **That's out of the way. Go on now, shoo.**

 **P.S. Hope all those who are celebrating it have a nice Memorial day. Should give me a chance to rest, recover, and if we are lucky, hunker down and get some more writing done.(HA!)**

* * *

That first breath drew through nostrils wet with anticipation the cool night air, rife with ash and soot. Decades of missed experiences were drunk greedily in by the bucket load within that moment of respiration stretched out as long as possible. Scorched wood like bitter licorice, damp dew as sweet as honey filled the virgin body as it partook of this simple autonomic pleasure, savoring the first breath as if it were the last. It took all of it in, relishing in the assurance it gave.

And the fear, the sweetest smell of all.

There was the auditory component to the bliss as well. The silence that descended upon the tensely halcyon landscape was another unknown blessing in recent memory. Even in the midst of his former container's death throws, though he spoke not a word, simply glancing upon him reanimated that incessant voice of his. And in his absence, this lack of any sound whatsoever baring the hushed breaths of those cowering around him he found solace at last.

It was all for him, the stillness, the silence, welcoming back the King.

"GRAWWWWW!"

Even through his graceful bearing of immortality, the world he was forced to reside in was all too ephemeral and easily disturbed. Silence broke and the otherwise pleasurably sulfuric taste became oppressive as the creature he might have called brethren deemed his newfound presence a threat, and hurled a generous glob of fire at him.

Smirking maliciously through the mild burn of the destructive loogy, the reinstated King of Beasts almost pitied the other in his ill-thought out decision. Though the Kyuubi had only witnessed the dragon's behavior second hand, there was always that lingering hope that he might have found an analog to his siblings even in this deranged world. If not for nostalgia, then best to befit his station. It was only right having an underling to dote on his whims and act in his stead when an especially remote populace needed terrorizing. His graceful munificence was of a kind never before witnessed in these realms, and it wouldn't do to cheapen his image by snuffing out each and every petulant threat that made itself heard. The ancient Grim would have made an excellent gopher for weeding out these pesky humans who proved to be every bit as bothersome as any other.

But sadly, it appeared it was not to be. Shame, to be out such a fine handyman. Still, the oversize lizard needed to be taught the pecking order.

" **Well, well, well…."**

He shivered as the sticky caramel flames were drawn in through his previously untouched body to stoke the fire that burned inside of him. They may have been crude and unrefined by his standards, like a dish made spicy by adding in a handful of pepper at the very end. But energy was energy, and he still had a lot of making up to do.

" **While I appreciate the warm welcome…."**

He could feel the gaping mouths of the monkeys which lay beneath his feet, having lost hope a second time in as many minutes as it would seem that their one chance of distracting this newfound monster was at a natural disadvantage. Comparable and size, but not in quality.

Speaking of quality, they could have also gotten lockjaw from the inspiration that this new beast could talk, and was doubtlessly a notch more intelligent than the bumbling giant they had only just been surviving by the skin of their, rather its, teeth. It was nonetheless fun to toy with such insignificant creatures, irksome though they may be. But it mattered little. He gave his word that he would not harm them, for now. But that mattered even less, because at this moment….

" **I think it's high time you learned your place!"**

With the coiled power in the four legs that propelled him, he was easily able to match the speed of any of the smaller bipedal creatures that strutted about before. He was steel cable under pressure that finally snapped and whipped out a black-padded paw which caught the winged creature slack jawed. Not even bothering to extend the rocky crags that were his claws, the Kyuubi wanted to prove to himself and the false regent that he was still the alpha.

The veritable bitch-slap sent the other beast careening off the jagged tower like a bird picked off its perch by a pellet gun. It landed amongst its children on its back in a flurry of franticly slapping wings, the lesser Grimm in a tizzy as to what to make of this startling turn. The newly introduced hotspot of raw animosity drew them like moths to a flame, but the talons like buzz saws flailing about every which way dissuaded them from approaching. Their expressions remained a confused jumble between shock and lustful hunger, no love lost it seemed between parent and child.

The fox, perched on its haunches, surveyed the scene with a satisfied smirk, rolled his shoulders languidly, claws teasing the ragged edge of the tower. He still had it.

Cinder had until that moment thought she had the situation tied up in a neat little bow, but this new character threatened to burst that carefully boxed outcome as thoroughly as it had botched her perfectly manicured nails, spawning so suddenly. The Grimm were a force of nature not under her control but predictable like the weather. Whatever this rival monstrosity was, it was certainly not the unintelligent pseudo-life the Grimm portended to be. One did not even have to look at it, or its actions, to see that much. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the wake emanating out from the space in the universe it displaced. It was a stone, no, a meteor which had crashed into their tiny pond.

It was powerful. There was no question about that. And it was smart, so it couldn't be lead around like the legendary Grimm they had released. But maybe, just maybe, it could be reasoned with. In any case, it apparently was content with occupying itself with the only other opponent which offered it a fair challenge at the moment and had not so much as lowered its gaze to appraise their insignificant presence.

Now was her chance.

The twin balls of flame which formed in her outstretched palms were not intended for the mountainous vulpine, which was quite obviously immune to such an attack, but rather for the two other humanoid targets which had taken advantage of the lull in their own fight to rush to the aid of their fallen comrade. Despite the sheer terror which doubtlessly fell like a lead blanket over them all, they had not wasted the opportunity to try and effect medical aid to the young man suffering debilitating burns over the entirety of his exposed flesh. It was almost admirable, seeing such a selfless emotion motivate them past their more primal instincts. Fear was such a powerful motivator, after all.

In turn Cinder used her ambition to surmount her own fear, and she wound up to lob the attack towards the unsuspecting huntress and huntsman who had the entirety of their focus on the careful process of peeling away the charred remains of the boy's clothes without removing any more flesh than necessary. As if feeling her vindictive eyes locked on them though, the redhead on her knees with one arm propping up the singed remains of the younger teen glanced up just as she swung her arms forward in a laborious arc.

Which was painfully slow compared to the whip-like tail which knocked into the woman about to attack the non-combatants, sending her flying off into the night with as careless a movement as flicking a booger off a fingernail.

Stunned emerald eyes already peeled away from her charge glanced over her shoulder to the ridged back of the nine-tailed fox who had not so much as twitched his ears in their direction. Though now that she looked its way, it turned its head just enough so that she could catch the bony white needles framed in velvety black gums, tweaked up in what she could only fathom was an amused look. She could find no reassurance in this look, however, and felt a cold chill shoot through her spine and numb her legs.

" **Don't look too much into it."**

She blinked and then it was gone from the ledge. It seemed to reappear on the back of the dragon which had since righted itself and had already leapt off the ground in a wing-assisted hop. The fox was playing a cruel game of leapfrog with the partly airborne reptile, and when it leapt off, it shoved the beast harshly back into the earth.

When it landed, it pirouetted 180, the nine voluminous tails leading its cat-like body. Not missing a beat, it pounced on the back of the ancient Grimm angrily trying to lift itself from the ground. The fox's jaws like a vice clamped on the back of the dragon's neck as its forepaws pinned the leathery wings to the rubble-strewn ground. The dragon thrashed and struggled against the oppressive weight, but couldn't seem to dislodge its unwanted fur coat.

Although the dragon could make no progress, neither it seemed could the Kyuubi, whose fangs and jaw while enough to crush cars, could not seem to crack the lobster-like armor of the morsel in its mouth to taste what succulent dark meat the Grimm species were made of. It let out an annoyed growl as the lithe neck thrashed in its maw, and he struggled to keep the other beast at bay.

It was clear that the Kyuubi, while still superior in almost every way, was at a marked disadvantage having been sequestered for near a century and still having to feel out the capabilities of this familiar, yet strange body nagging at his subconscious. While it was fast and strong as he remembered, there seemed to be a lag, a difference in response between what he willed and what it would do, enough to throw him off balance. Enough for him to make a mistake.

Like forgetting that he was not the only one with a prehensile tail. Worse yet, this one had no few barbs studded in it length, and these protrusions caught the Kyuubi in its unguarded haunches, forcing him to release his death-grip on the Grimm's neck. He took a stumbling leap away from the now free dragon as it made it upright, making sure to clear himself from the many sharp edges it possessed. The other beast screeched and snarled dumbly at him, but the Kyuubi was more focused on his own unknown feelings than the indignation of his prey.

He was angry. But it was beyond that. That was the closest thing he could equate this feeling to. Anger, rage, burning hatred but in this case, it was twisted, deranged. Or directed rather, to a specific part of his foreign body. It was a very explicit meter-long vengeance which spurred him along his hind leg, and it took him a while of introspection while the other beast appeared to catch its breath before he realized what it was he was feeling.

Pain.

Not like the pain he felt in that previous existence, but something frighteningly raw and acute. It was the pain associated with mortality.

Without taking his eyes off the stumbling monstrosity, he glanced back to his own hind quarters, only to see what looked like dusty violet steam spewing forth from a tear in his hide and into the midnight blue. He ground his teeth almost until the same feeling manifested in his jaws, and then he scoffed, turning back to face the dragon which looked eager to renew their mortal combat.

The Kyuubi cordoned off the growing feeling of rage and let the dry amusement sweep over him instead as the other beast charged him and he let its snapping jaws sail past him, tails flapping like a matador's cape. He chose instead to look at the comedic irony of the situation. He should have known that there would have been some catch. There was no way that the pathetic container could have provided him with anything close to his original body. It was a flesh for flesh exchange, so while he was once again free in this world, it was in a body crafted from mortal stone.

He was no longer the pure Chakra construct that he was before. It was obvious, looking back on it, considering that the world they were currently in apparently rejected the substance. If he had to guess, based on the reaction to the inflicted wound which had closed in a matter of seconds after drawing his attention, that his body was a bastard combination of the two. A fleshy shell provided by the whelp to keep him insulated from the caustic environment, and a gaseous core of his Chakra swirling around in the center. He had not recovered enough Chakra for it to become solid, so here he stood like some stupid parade float, ripe for bursting.

He almost felt a twinge of admiration for the pathetic ningen, wondering if he foresaw this outcome, knowing that he was cursing his former tenant to a precarious mortal existence. For now, at least. Because when he was done here, the Kyuubi was determined to find a remedy for this handicap, no matter how long it took. He was sure he could do it to, after all, he was free now.

Nothing could stop him.

Certainly not this pathetic parody of a tailed beast that charged at him with an airborne lunge, to which he flowed like water underneath, razor-claws sailing past his back and tickling his fur, a not wholly pleasurable experience he had to admit. But he was here to stretch his limbs, not get his back scratched. Careful to dodge the spiked appendage this time, he wrapped his own nine tails around the middle of the dragon and hurled it back where it had come from.

Once again it landed on its back, and obviously learning from experience, it quickly tried to right itself, but before it could the Kyuubi pounced on its exposed stomach. He did not hold back this time, ripping into the exposed flesh with his obsidian claws, and reveling how easily the hide rent and spewed forth the vaporous, sooty vitals.

The other creature shrieked and clawed at the fox, scoring a good hit with one of its clawed limbs across the face. The Kyuubi cried out in turn, once again not appreciating the debilitating feeling that was now associated with receiving such a blow to this weakened body. He retreated back a few paces, releasing the two of them to lick their respective wounds.

Eyes screwed shut in pain shot open as the gashes over the eyelid, discharging wispy indigo clouds, stitched themselves up within seconds, like sand rushing in to erase shallow pools on a beach. They were surface cuts, but they were a rude reminder that the Kyuubi could no longer afford to be so careless in his attacks. It had been so long since he had battled something which could stand toe to toe with him, and never before had he been so… fragile. He would have to learn a new way to fight on the fly.

But before he could devote further thought to this enterprise, the entirety of his left side lit up in that unwanted sensation, not quite as concentrated, but nettling and distracting, like annoyance spread out over a month. Like that irritating blond boy.

But this sensation he could do something about, and with a growl he spun on his heel to regard the fool who had tried to interrupt him in his crusade.

She looked just about as disheveled as the ruins upon which she stood, dress torn in no few spots, and lipstick smeared with a little too much crimson which ran off from the corner of her mouth. Still Cinder stood unwavering, bow still raised and arm still cocked from where it loosed the last arrow.

The Kyuubi snarled at the audacity of this foolish human. She might have been in possession of what this world considered to be a legendary power, but she was leagues behind anyone that could have hoped to hold a candle to the King.

" **I thought you would have learned the first time."**

The corner of the mouth trailing the smeared lipstick curled upward.

"Same to you."

Before the Kyuubi could squash the impudent insect, he was bathed in a wave a fire which licked clean the last smudged traces of the marks made on his fur. He did not even get the chance to scoff at the foolishness of the other beast, however, when out of the blinding wall of flame a single claw lashed out trailing its three hooked nails along the Kyuubi's side.

He cried out in equal parts surprise and anger as he snapped at where he assumed the offending neck to be. But he tasted nothing but sulfur as his teeth gnashed against each other. And with his face now turned, it was caught broadside as the attached tail flicked out blindly to catch him in the jaw. His right foreleg buckled involuntarily as he fell halfway onto the ground, the earth rumbling violently as the two massive forms crashed into the ground at near the same time.

The dragon clumsily turned back to face the furry beast who had until then controlled the pace of their bout. But in his awkwardly gamboling turnaround he was struck flatfooted when the Kyuubi, blindly forcing his pain to fuel his angry charge, rammed his skull into the reptile's jaw. The dragon fell back on its rear, dazed from the unexpectedly rash retaliation.

Even in the presence of the physical damage slowing him down, the Kyuubi was spurred forth again by the blow to his pride. He was livid with both the Grimm as well as his own carelessness. So what if this dumb beast could learn a trick or two? He was the Kyuubi, the strongest of the Tailed Beasts and the King of Tricks. It was clear he had to illustrate this fact to these plebeians.

Split into two bunches, his dexterous tails wrapped themselves around the other creature's front legs and yanked out the last thing supporting him from beneath his dizzied eyes. Its chest crashed down to the earth, crushing the remains of a fountain that had survived the chaos unscathed till then.

Also not one to make the same mistake twice, the Kyuubi pounced once again on the dragon's back, but this time aimed his tectonic jaw muscles at the slightly exposed joint between torso and wing. His aim was true, and teeth sunk deep into the knot of muscle. His ears pressed flat against his head muted out the pained cries from the beast, and his own violent back and forth movements only enhanced the thrashing of the body beneath him, further tearing at the meaty joint.

He let himself briefly relish in the dull cries, the squirming and salty muscle clamped in his car-crusher of a mouth. Not the worst taste in the world, he decided. It reminded him of the salted mountain fish on skewers, cooked over an open flame. Though he could not fathom how he knew that. Or maybe it was more like those charred corpses floating in a lake? Yeah, that was more like it.

But he could not savor the pain nor the flavor for as long as he would have liked. A heavy mass landed painfully on his sensitive nose, causing him to release his grip on the limb and flinch back in surprise. The other beast did not capitalize on this opportune moment of distraction, fortunately. Also having never felt such pain before in its centuries of existence, at limped back on its three good limbs. Whimpering as it gently licked the fresh gash, big enough for a human to crawl into which had been opened on its shoulder.

Quickly shaking off the shock, as well as the crumbs of boulder which had landed on its snout, the Kyuubi turned with a rumbling growl to the now cowering offender.

Cinder was frozen, gulp still halfway down her throat choking her. Her gamble had backfired spectacularly. Eager to have the two great beasts prolong their fight, when it looked like the fox had the upper hand she decided she had to do something to aid the other combatant. Knowing that neither her flames nor her arrows could do much to harm the creature (in fact, it seemed like the flames helped heal it), she had to get creative. Using her recent powers, she managed to float a largish chunk of rubble above the fox's head, and knowingly targeted the most sensitive target available.

In her defense, it had succeeded in distracting the fox. But her hope of the Grimm dragon taking advantage of the sneak attack was dashed as the coward crawled away with its tail between its legs. Now the vulpine creature's attention was once again solely on her, and she knew there was nothing more she could do to defend herself. The fight response was struck off her list.

She spun on her heal, trying to flee the combat between forces of nature as quickly as she could. Nature decided that she had overstayed her welcome, however, and even as she lifted her foot to start running in the opposite direction, the shadow had already engulphed her.

Like a cat jumping on a scurrying spider, the Kyuubi's sedan-sized paws came crushing down on the amazingly stupid woman who had thought she could flea after perpetrating such an insult. It was immensely satisfying feeling the carcass cave in under his weight, but was too fleeting in his opinion. He didn't even get to feel her squirm. For such an irritating being, he had wanted her to suffer.

It was not enough to satisfy the growing hunger. More than that, it reanimated that old, familiar desire within him. It was admittedly fun to play around with the other beast, but once he proved he could inflict debilitating damage on it, the game quickly lost its appeal. It was just too stupid to enjoy tormenting.

Humans on the other hand…

He looked up from the small red puddle at his feet to the tiny specks resting just where he had left them, unmolestedly observing the battle of titans from a safe distance. Or so they thought.

With an almost lazy hop, the Kyuubi threw himself over the ruined distance and alighted with an almost airy grace on the last standing vestiges of the academy. Despite the vigilant grace, the structurally compromised tower groaned under his weight as he landed. Tiles cracked and part of the floor underneath him collapsed, canting the rest of it, including the three humans at an unnerving angle. He smiled down at the two still mobile hunters staring up at him with awestruck looks whilst in the midst of rigging a temporary series of bandages made from the charred remains of clothing on their most wounded comrade.

" **Hello Sasuke, nice to finally meet you."**

The whole thing had felt like a dizzy daydream ever since the giant fox had appeared. Even before, if she were to be true to herself. But it had escalated in insanity with its arrival, as Pyrrha thought that she had seen it happen. Her attention had been forcibly shifted from the defeated Sasuke awaiting his fate on his knees, to the once-still body of his blond teammate. It was not like she could even describe it, but if forced to, she would have maintained that Naruto's body had turned inside-out then, and from that amorphous specter of flesh and Aura, the fox had been born.

The past few days had been increasingly incredible and hard to fathom, with the frequency of events only speeding up the closer they got to present, culminating in this pinnacle of incredulity. She was at the bottom of the vortex now, moving on autopilot trying to, if not survive, then to swim as far upstream as she could to avoid getting swept up in the cataclysm. But it was all for not as the world remembered its unfinished business with them. She would have thought themselves too insignificant to be bothered with, even after it was adamantly clear that the fox had spoken directly to her, not minutes prior.

And now it was speaking to Sasuke. By name.

The young man in turn did nothing but glare heatedly at the vindictively smirking beast, tails waving playfully behind it. A predator playing with its catch.

" **I have been waiting for this moment for so long, you know?"** The voice was magma percolating up through deep chasms, and they all found themselves falling into the crimson slits which bore down on them from above. **"Not just this, not just the freedom, although I must admit that was long overdue. No, I was particularly interested in this exact moment, the instant I would destroy you and finally erase the last scraps of your pathetic family from the annals of history. You probably don't even know why, do you? You probably have no idea the real history of your cursed ancestors."**

Neither Pyrrha nor Qrow could even begin to fathom what the beast was talking about, he seemed to be having a private conversation with the young man supported between them, like they were not even there. If Sasuke knew what the fox was referring to though, he did not show it as he stared uncaringly into its ruby gems drilling right back into him.

The fox gave another chuckle which caused a few of the less-secure tiles to become dislodged and slip down into the abyss.

" **Not that it matters. There is no point telling you now. Vengeance will be mine, at last. And oh, how sweet it will be. Not only do I get to end the Uchiha, but in doing so I get to crush the last remnants of the ninja world, and the last friend of the wretchedly pathetic container which kept me at bay for so long."**

No one could say anything. What the beast stated was fact, and whatever time it wasted in its gloating was time that it had to waste, and time that granted them a few more moments of breath on this earth. Still, there was that part of her which beat desperately at this stillness, that which twitched autonomously to her weapon laying by her side in denial of the inevitable.

The hearty laugh caused them to flinch and their hearts to momentarily stop their beating.

" **YES! That's it! That's right! Glare at me! Use those eyes you do not deserve, I will happily stomp on you until they pop out of your skull!"**

Pyrrha felt the small body cradled in her arms shake, and glanced down at Sasuke whose eyes were still fixed on those of the demonic presence. But his usual obsidian, as cold now as they ever had been, had once again been replace by the strangely imbued crimson orbs. And in this close up she could see the comma-shaped markings spinning around the epicenter. And the blood, which was dripping down from his tear-ducts.

But whatever this strange ability was apparently had no effect on the beast as it was clearly intended to. In fact, the sight seemed to please the fox, enticing it and working it up to smite them all. Despite this, Sasuke maintained them for as long as he could, despite the fact that he was obviously straining to do so. It was the only display of desperation they would ever see come from the proud young man.

He kept it up, never breaking his staring contest with the fox even as the paw was picked up and loomed menacingly over them, a blunt hammer of Damocles.

" **I give you this chance now. Move away from the Uchiha if you want to live."** The beast directed to them for the first time. Whether it was shock at being addressed, numbness at the face of death, or doubt that they would survive much longer even if they were to do so, prevented them from moving a muscle.

Seeing that the two were not about to abandon their doomed comrade, the Kyuubi continued in his delayed satisfaction.

" **So be it."**

The paw descended upon them in slow motion even as it rushed towards them. Suddenly the surprisingly soft pad was resting on the loose knot of her pony tail as Pyrrha found herself on her feet. A ridged column holding up the entire pantheon of gods.

"No!"

It was a quiet voice, but no less arresting than a stone wedged in a crevice, holding back a land slide. And impossibly, with that mere pebble, the mountain that was about to fall stopped cold.

" **What?"**

The beast asked, to himself rather than to the command which halted his will. His sensitive hearing had of course picked up on the voice, but not even the compelling boldness of the statement should have stopped the implementation of justice long overdue. And yet all the same, he found he could not move a muscle.

Her unwavering gaze traced the dry lakebed of the black pads which hung there just over her head, and the heads of her compatriots who sat there looking up at her with perhaps even more shock than they had displayed for the fox's declaration. It was as weightless as the stars above her head. She was weightless, having lost all substance when she stood up. This Pyrrha Nikos had lost all of her weighty baggage tying her down to the Earth only when she stood up in defense of her friends. She rejected the callous assumption of this unfeeling beast who could not understand that she would never abandon her friends.

But it was enough to stay his hand, though the Kyuubi could not fathom why. He simply could not bring his paw any closer than where it was patting the courageous woman on the head as if for a job well done. He growled furiously, incensed at the world once again pressing upon him unfair conditions of existence.

" **How dare you?! Why do you stop me?! Why do you seek to take away what I am owed?! This is justice, as well as vengeance, and I will not be denied!"**

He raged against this world, corrupt it seemed as any other, while the miniscule humans stood stock still under his diatribe in the assumption that he was talking to them.

His paw, his whole body shook as he tried to rid himself of this paralyzing effect. But it was as if the very cells which made up his body were rebelling against him. Finally, with a cry of abject frustration and defeat, his paw completed its downward arc, swiping just to the side of the three stunned individuals and removing a chunk of tile floor which fell, down into the homogenous sea with the rest. More of the floor gave away, and the group lurched to the side, but even though Pyrrha's resolute stance faltered little, they did not slip.

They watched on as the beast continued to rage, howling at the shattered moon as if his pain could somehow fracture it further and bring the fragments to rain down upon them all. His tails lashed against the night air like a tangle of snakes being lit on fire.

The howl was abruptly cut off, however, and with an almost comically startled look, the fox was dragged down off his perch and disappeared from the spared group over the edge.

He soon came back into view, however, as he once again ferociously lunged at the still limping dragon who had apparently snagged his during the moment of inattention. The three observers watched in their continued dumbfounded haze as the two mammoths went at each other's throats once again.

It was evident the pace had changed, however. The Kyuubi, fueled by the inability to satisfy his ultimate goal was attacking the other beast with an animalistic and careless abandon, not paying attention to the numerous odd wounds he continuously accumulated which bled the same clouds of viscous violet into the now, not quite pre-dawn. And the dragon in turn was now fighting for its life. It had ceased to spawn any new lesser Grimm who had previously simply been crushed underfoot, and now retained whatever energy it had left to further its own survival.

What had started as the fox lunging and snapping at the slow-moving reptile quickly devolved into a tangle of limbs as the Kyuubi latched down on a spot where his teeth could find purchase and simply hung on, both beasts desperately clawing and striking at the other with any and all available weapons. It was chaos, pure bestial madness and a good thing that the school was already rubble underfoot, as nothing they passed over in their death roll would have made it out as anything other than dust.

Whatever advantage of reason he had, he had abandoned in the absence of fulfillment. He could not complete his goal which he had been holding on to for centuries, for as long as he could remember. He could not even hope to wait it out, mortality hanging like a collar around his neck. Amusement had festered to scathing hatred as he was sure that his container had planned this all along. He had been duped, reduced to nothing more than a dumb beast shackled to this world and its unknown rules. So what did it matter anymore if he acted like one?

Blood, vaporous, fluid, omnipresent filled his vision, his every pore. In his rage he was colorblind, without sense of smell or taste, he could not tell if it was his own life essence that was flittering off into the disappearing night, or that of his counterpart locked in between his gnashing fangs. This new type of pain washed over him, washed out, he was numb. What did it matter anymore, if he lost a tooth, an eye, a tail or two? He was not whole, never would be again, and so what were one or two missing pieces?

He just wished he could erase the sight of that human staring up defiantly at him with those offensive ruby eyes. Those courageous emerald. Those immutable sapphire. That was his only regret.

Darkness fled. The braying horde of Grimm feasting vicariously on the raw emotions being thrown about had fled the battlefield for fear of being crushed, or perhaps compelled by some unknown will that informed them they had overstayed their welcome.

Darkness fled. The nighttime which had lasted too many lifetimes was finally lifting, a world entirely without light was drifting slowly past the darkest hour. There was blackness added to the oppressive invisibility which kept them sealed off from the world. Then there was a deep violet quenching the starlight and the flickering lights of the flames.

Darkness fled, and for the first time in too long, hope sprung back up from the dry wells.

The battle continued before them, eternal winds buffeting a tortured peak, tumultuous waves crashing against one another, lava endlessly burbling in a caldera. It became like an incident of nature, eternal in the blink of a human lifetime. But in a shocking moment inaction, they realized that it was over, the seas had quelled and the surface was still once again.

The orange force of nature had been placed bodily upon the unidentifiable mess of black and bone beneath. Smoking gashes littered the arched hide, and there were noticeably fewer tails thrashing about above the mortal embrace. But the great fox did not seem to care much as he had his jaw locked once again around the other beast's neck. This time though, he did not seem to have any trouble holding on, as the other creature was eerily still, staring up at the last stars winking out into the coming dawn.

The fox jerked its neck up to that same sky, taking away a healthy chunk in its maw. It held its prize there in victory while the beast underneath fell limp and slowly but surely began to melt away. But even as the esophagus clamped in the victorious fox's mouth began to sublimate, its black wisps fleeing the way of the night, he too fell limp against the body of the defeated. Crashing down to the earth like an ancient tree, landing where there was no one to hear. The rumble echoed throughout the emptiness, tingling through stiff limbs.

The three that remained sat there in silence as the quakes died out and the light trickled in. A small cough nudged its way into the wall of oppressive quiet as Qrow wetted his lips which had not made a voluntary sound in quite some time.

"Is it over?"

* * *

Even before it was over, even before the two bodies had fallen still and the last sounds of battle had quelled, Ruby found herself running full-speed into the lightening sky, mountainous forms silhouetted against the pale blue her objective. She left the cries of her friends and family far behind in the dark night. She was headed towards the dawn, no matter what the light of day was to reveal.

Rose petals fell, bouquets laid on the jagged surface of tombstones.

Her friends could not understand why she always moved towards the danger. She could not understand why she always waited so long. She just hoped it wasn't too late.

She came skidding to a halt approaching the epicenter of destruction, a clear swath carved out of the devastation ushering her to view the aftermath. It was the entrance to the school, she half-realized, the worn stones becoming intimately familiar as she slowed her approach down to a reasonable pace, sense of urgency dissipating in what felt like a shroud of reverence. With solemnity, she advanced in the remains of that educational cathedral and up to the corpses it now interred.

The head of the fox-like creature was facing her cautious entrance, the rest of its body sprawled out smothering the rapidly degenerating body underneath it, no longer recognizable as a dragon. The fox lay there still as death with its eyes peacefully shut. It did not appear to even be breathing to the young woman who nonetheless exhibited prudent wariness as she got yet closer. But neither did she stop, something compelling her towards the anomaly as if she was already intimately familiar with it.

She froze briefly, however, when its eyes opened, half lidded to stare at her with eyes the color of her dusty cloak. She did not retreat, however, even as it drew a labored breath and she had to fight back against goosebumps as the warm exhale passed over her bare legs.

" **Well?"**

The low rumbling voice shocked her no more than the fact that it was awake, but still she could form no words. She was drawn here by instinct, but that would not help her with the question she did not know how to ask.

The snort made her flinch.

" **You are just like him. Pathetic."**

She found no offense in the statement, instead latching on to the 'him' the creature had referenced. She found her voice with a single word.

"Naruto."

How the name had found itself there, she would not know, but it seemed to be the right thing to say as the beast made some kind of grunt and its gums receded in a pained smirk.

" **Maybe you're not as dumb as you look."**

"You're not him, are you?"

She shivered as black gums parted to expose the sharpened ivory which looked like it could cleave her in two with little effort.

" **Right again."**

Despite the deadly smile appraising her, dissuading her from continuing, two positive answers had encouraged her. And emboldened with the thought that she had a chance to be reunited with her friend, she pressed onward.

"What are you? Who are you? Where is Naruto? Is he okay? What about Sasuke and Pyrrha?"

The questions came tumbling forth from her as she stumbled forward a step. The vulpine smile sharpened maliciously at the sound of desperation in her voice. It was a nice lullaby to sooth him to eternal sleep. It would be so much better when he crushed what little hope she had left.

" **Your friend…."** Ruby bit her lip, she did not need him to specify. **"He was my jailer, my prison. He released me."**

She felt her legs go weak at this statement, unsure as she was if she could trust this entity, but somehow knowing intuitively the painful veracity behind his words. Still, she had to hear it from him as well. She had placed too much of her faith in the blond boy to let it die at the few words of a potentially untrustworthy fox.

"Why? How?" The questions came out choked, tears being gulped down.

" **Look at me girl."** She did. **"What other purpose could I possibly have? I am a force of nature, I am destruction incarnate. As for how, well, it was all part of a fair trade."** He glanced down dismissively at his flawed body and his smile drooped. He flexed the claws of his battered paw in and out, leaving ghostly gashes among the many on the marred surface. **"Flesh for flesh. Body for body. Soul for soul. He gave up his life to restore mine."**

Ruby felt the bottom drop out from underneath her then, but still she clung to the edge.

"You mean he's gone? Dead?" She couldn't quite bring herself to believe these words even as she spoke them.

The Kyuubi's grin returned full force.

" **What does it matter to you? What does he matter to you? He lied, you know. To you, and to everyone. I was here all along, watching it all."**

This was truth, she knew it. But at the moment it was of little import.

"It doesn't matter!" She informed the beast to his disappointed shock. "He's still my friend." _Her best friend, forever._ "And I want him back!"

The trickster was not dissuaded, however, and saw the golden lining peak out form this latest turn.

" **Your friend huh? Well, I'd love to give him back, but it was an exchange you see. I need something in return. A body for a body, a soul for a soul.**

" **Well, how about it?"**

The girl flinched back at the ominous words, and the fox felt tainted happiness flood throughout his aching body. He would lash this girl's guilt and take it down with him to his grave. It would make an ample pillow for him to rest his head wherever he was going.

"Okay!"

What?

All mirth fell off his face and he stared incredulously at the weak little mortal in front of him, unable to comprehend the words which had just reached his ears.

She spread her arms wide like she was inviting the Kyuubi to chow down on her meager offering, as if the beast could even move a muscle right now. Ruby had not thought much about what she was agreeing to, but she understood well enough. No amount of thought or rumination would help her in any case, in this absurd situation the only reasonable response was unwavering conviction. The only thought in her mind that mattered any was that she could not bear to lose anyone else close to her. She had lost her mother, and then she had nearly lost Yang. Each time had it happened it had wounded her, removing a critical piece of her being. And if she lost him, she would not survive in any case.

The fox parsed through his own derailing train of thought, struggling to make sense of this senseless gesture. He had existed for centuries amongst humans and thought that he had a pretty good sense of the way they behaved. But if there was one thing that was a theme after encountering Naruto Uzumaki, it was that humans always behaved in the most perverse ways. One could trust them to always do the unexpected.

This did not prevent his grin from ruefully returning to his face.

Ruby's steely grey eyes, sharp as daggers carved into the fox's own crimson orbs, color and life slowly draining out of them even as the smile tinged with a smattering of regret held steady. She stood locked still, even as she saw it coming. The transmuted flesh could no longer contain the massive and flighty energy that had welled within it, and the purple tears which were steadily streaming from the many visible wounds, dissipating into entropy could no longer hold themselves to a trickle. The damn was about to burst.

" **Wishful thinking, girl."**

The light from the sun, not yet peaking over the horizon was outstripped one-hundred-fold by the sheer intensity of energy being released all at once. The explosion of violet light became so overbearing that it turned blinding, monotonous white. The ghostly image of the Kyuubi's Cheshire smile flashed, fixing it in her head as the last thing she would see. All sounds bled into one and she went deaf, though she thought she could hear her name being called out. But the voice was being drowned underneath the rushing water. Or maybe she was the one beneath the surface? In which case, all was lost.

* * *

"-ub-, -uby, Ruby!"

A lifetime away, a voice. Calling her name. Through the depths of unconscious, she felt it snag her.

She broke the surface suddenly, gasping for air, and sat up coughing as she inhaled a handful of dust that had settled on and around her still form. Though as she managed to still her fit and cautiously crack open her eyes, she realized that it was not as much as expected, the majority having been evicted from where she lay. It was an odd occurrence to her newly revived mind, such cleanliness in the ruin. What could have caused it?

She remembered, a little, enough. The white light, the devil's grin. Wait, how was she even alive?

She looked all around and the rubble immediately surrounding her had been turned to slag, molten streams cascading off of broken gray peaks frozen in time. The light was gray as well, no telling if it was early morning or late afternoon, or really, any time in between. It could have been any day, as long as It was just gray, and still. The gentle breeze glossing over her scuffed cheek the only sign that time itself had not yet stopped.

"Ruby!"

Color came flooding in. Happy colors, familiar ones, white, red, black, yellow and so may more trailing after came cascading like an iridescent waterfall over the strewn rubble. She recognized the voices, if not the faces, everything blurred to a hypnotic stream. She blinked and her vision cleared as the welling tears ran down her cheeks. When had she started to cry?

She shakily brought herself to stand, in time enough for the stampede of fellow students and teachers to rush to her side should she fall. But it never happened, as she found herself steady, one hand held preciously in the grip of her partner, whose face betrayed that she was every bit as shell shocked as she. But with an additional streak of concern, smudged out with none too much relief. Ruby had not been worried, what was there for her to be worried about?

"Ruby, we're so glad we found you!" Blake said, wiping away her own tears and smudged mascara from her cheeks. "Why did you have to go running off like that?"

As she was embraced from every side by concerned and friendly faces, all no less nor more affected than the next by the arduous marathon they had all been subject to, she could not help but wonder herself why she had gone charging off by all alone. Why had she ever left the comfort and safety of all these people who cared about her?

But it still felt wrong, somehow to be celebrating as they were, shedding relieved tears before the story had come to a close. But what was left to do? What line had yet to be penned in this tale?

The distinct voices all talking at once became muffled, unintelligible. The faces, the gestures, mere pantomimes, background filler for the final act. Through the gaps in their sameness, she saw a shock of red poke above the crowd. A face, dirty and weary like all the rest, but in stark focus.

She saw her uncle Qrow then, as well, grim as she had ever seen him. An ancient statue was slung between the two of them. It must have been one of those impossibly old wooden Buddhas, brown and rotted with millennia past. Goodwitch ran up to them, exchanging a sparingly sorrowful look with Pyrrha, before she knelt down to help them lower the statue ever so carefully to the ground, like it would turn to ash if they so much as breathed on it wrong. Goodwitch took it in her gentle embrace, resting its head patched with matted tufts of hair on her shoulder.

The wooden eyes opened, and glass marbles studded with dark ochre stared back at her. Its splintered lips parted and she could parse the words it formed only by seeing the polished ivory teeth vanish and appear in ventriloquist movement.

 _I'm sorry._ It seemed to say.

Suddenly the friendly faces surrounding her were oppressive, overbearing. She had to be rid of them. Cries of surprise, and concerned indignation erupted all around her as she frantically shoved her way past them, stumbling out once again into the glazed clearing. Away from comfort, away from happy endings, towards the center which could not hold.

She darted back and forth in a frenzied panic, urgently seeking something but she knew not what. Something to give her closure, to rid her of this empty feeling beneath her pounding heart. Her body shook and her ears throbbed, blood rushing from that incessant tattoo of rhythm. She stumbled more than once, not slowing down enough to look where she was going. Her eyes were scanning everything, but not finding what they were looking for, little concern was given to the rest of her. She had probably scraped her bare legs on some jagged edge, and was almost certainly bleeding. But by now, that was of little surprise.

She stumbled again, and this time it seemed she would go down, hard. But a signal, a flag at the edge of her vision rallied her. Tattered violet harkening her to come. Gone was the fatigue, and she felt now like she could cross the seven seas. So the scant seconds it took her to reach the gracious banner were less than an instant. She found herself unhooking the soft but threadbare length off of the rebar to which it clung and fluttered in the gentle breeze. She balled it in her fist and clutched it to her heart, hoping the flimsy material would fill that hole.

It might not have mended that gap, but in the moment her unsatiated tears threated to fall once again, the flittering ribbon whipped her in the face, directing her to look up.

She all but fell, down into the small clearing. The shallow crater had brushed tons of stone and metal to the side, making a slick slope that she found difficult to navigate. But she went with gravity, down towards its center, wherein she found it. The entirety of her memory came rushing back all at once as soon as her eyes fell upon the untarnished flesh, rosy like a ripe peach, the golden blond like a field of wheat framing the cherub-like face.

It was such an impossibility that she could have forgotten his presence. How could she ever have imagined her story without him in it? Even more so than the rest of her friends, he was a constant. As predictable as sure as the sun rose. How could she have gone on without him?

But now she would not have to surmount that obstacle, and every other one that lay before was so pale in comparison. As if to prove this, she overcame the childish urge to blush and fumble about when presented with his natural state, and instead quickly unclasped the remains of her cloak from around her neck and draped it over his still body. The remaining tension eased from her chest feeling the pulsating heat as she wrapped the tattered shroud around his limp form.

She thought about trying to carry him back to where their friends were most surely waiting, but found that she could no longer summon the strength to stand, let alone lift her companion. Instead she rested on her knees as she held the swaddled torso tight to her chest.

Once again, those same voices called out for her, getting louder and decidedly more frustrated as they approached, but welcome none the less. They were clear as day. The sun was coming out now, banishing the gray, and the sky won the battle for clear sight.

The missing pages were returned. The story could go on.


	31. We Rise Again

Sasuke rubbed his thumb over the tough leather wrap, fingers still somewhat numb to the sensation. Every part of him was a little bit numb. Numbness was the body's coping mechanism, the same as the brain's. Physically nor emotionally, he did not know what to feel. So he just sat there, propped upright with buckwheat pillows in the same board-like mattress as when he started. Listening peaceably to the undulating walls of the canvas tent pitched around him as the afternoon winds swept through the camp.

He supposed he should be happy. They were victorious, more so than they had any right to be. And they had all made it out, alive, unscathed.

Well, for the most part.

"I could fix it for you, you know?" A statement from the rude doorway, a mere flap, directed at the sword-hilt in his hand.

Fix it? How could one fix something so irreparably broken? It wasn't worth repairing, gathering up the scattered shards of a sword that never even had a name. Remake it. Yes. Re-forge the razor-hewn edge to a luster that never knew the blade that came before. But the forerunner which shattered many days ago was beyond repair.

Ignoring the question, and not even bothering to glace up at his visitor, Sasuke quipped a reply.

"Shouldn't you be visiting…. your sister?" The other name on his tongue was still hard not to say.

Ruby grimaced into a smile as she let the tent-flap flop closed behind her.

"Yang got out a few days ago." She then grew rosy-cheeked and scratched the back of her head in a manner which made Sasuke flinch with its familiarity. "Actually, she's been awake for almost three days now. The doctors wanted to keep her there longer but, well…." The girl shrugged and gave a half-hearted chuckle as the male dutifully gave her a nod of comprehension.

The pause that followed turned uncomfortable as the wind died down and the off-white walls ceased to bellow. In the same instance that he felt put-upon by the girl's presence, resentful at being a mere stand-in for the person she really wanted to see, he still empathized with her plight. He too lacked the company of his partner, who had been squirreled away even before the first responders arrived. In the entire previous year, Sasuke had not been this long without seeing at least a trace of the blond. So yes, he could understand, somewhat, the state Ruby must be in.

Somewhat.

It was this girl, after all, who seemed even more dependent on the boy's indomitably strong will. And it was she who had last seen him, held him, only to have his miraculously rejuvenated body torn from her weary grasp. Sasuke was half-way to understanding her, as he always would be.

"Why are you here?"

It was selfish. He knew why, what she grasped, and yet he did not wish to give it. She was seeking out his support, as the closest thing to a replacement Naruto as she could get. But he could not provide her with that, he was not strong enough to do so, and had no desire to do so. He was growing increasingly tired of being a substitute to his partner, who even in absence ranked higher in importance. And yet…

"I just want to understand." She uttered in a mouse-like voice, averting her eyes afraid of his denial.

Sasuke scoffed.

"Join the club."

Knowing it was coming didn't make the question any less stupid. They kept going around, asking the same questions, getting the same answers, making the same mistakes. He knew that he should try to be nicer to the emotional minefield trying desperately to hold a conversation with him, but he had never tolerated stupidity well. His tolerance was even shorter when it came to his own ineptitude.

"No- I mean, I didn't mean about that-this." She flailed her arms about awkwardly, gesturing to the impersonal fabric habitat that surrounded them. Just one of hundreds within an encampment, set up by the academy's sister schools in the wake of the disaster, placed down on top of the rubble before it was even clear. She had not meant to understand all the political machinations at work behind this cooperative effort, this resettlement camp which bore the worst connotations of that title. Nor did she mean for him to justify the nearly inexplicable happenings during and including the battle for their lives, nights ago.

"I just want to understand…" With one arm held to her breast, the other outstretched to the surprised boy, open palm grasping as if to take his pain away.

Sasuke flinched. Dismayed at the consistency of his resentful thoughts thrusting themselves to the forefront of his mind, and out through his mouth. He had been doing that a lot more lately, once again control over his temperament was becoming more difficult to sustain. Quick to anger, and even harder to reign it in once it was ablaze.

That particular spot on his shoulder throbbed, the mark that was there somehow surviving as an island of ink despite all the flesh around it being peeled away.

"…you want to understand **us**." That, however was perhaps an even harder request to deliver.

He sighed, thumbing one of the wound leather strips that had become slightly frayed, set the useless totem on the mattress to the side of his leg.

It was obvious, had he been able to look through the perspective of those silver eyes for even one second. But he was always so blinded by his own galvanized view that he had a hard time seeing the compassion in others. Not only was she currently unable to rectify the situation spiraling out of control all around her, she had her own knot of emotional threads she needed to untangle. There wasn't anyone currently available to help her make sense of this senselessness, the death that was now on her hands.

"You want to hear how we-how I deal with it." He intoned, correcting himself as he realized that he could not speak for the other shinobi. "And, more than that…"

He finally looked up into the girl's face, awash with relief as her clenched hands relaxed.

"More than that, you need to hear the story."

She graced him with a smile that was of greater relief to him than painkillers right now.

He nodded, with all due solemnity.

"I guess we owe it to you." He included himself in this promise. He did not need to, but he would no longer be a part of the dissemination of lies. Lack of information had gotten enough people killed already.

"Alright. But I can only talk about my part of it. To hear it from his side, well, we'll just have to wait."

The girl fervently agreed, nodding her head emphatically. Sasuke held up a single finger between them.

"And I'm only going through this once. I am not going to repeat myself. So go get the others, it's time everyone knew."

* * *

"Well…"

"Well?"

The white-haired woman sighed laboriously as she gently stood up from the hunched-over position that she had been assuming for the past several minutes, careful not to disturb the still raw wound on her side. Winter lowered herself into a stool that the room's other inhabitant scurried to provide for her. Even simple actions strained her right now. It was a horrible feeling, weakness.

"Well, I can read it now." She said from her perch next to the object she had just examined.

"And…" Glynda pressed, trying very hard to emulate the patience exhibited by her predecessor, but lacking the perpetual cup of coffee and the temperament she was struggling not to simply smack the answer out of the reluctant Schnee. As with just about every other medical supply these days, patience was in short supply.

Winter shrugged.

"And what? You didn't need me here to tell you what it was. You're a smart girl." Winter snipped, equally short-tempered at having been dragged so rudely out of recovery at a military hospital. At least there they had showers.

Glynda restrained herself. Barely. She took a calming breath and thought about the silver-haired headmaster who was still AWOL. How he might handle it. Though thinking of him brought up other complications that were too much for her sleep-deprived brain. They still couldn't register him as dead, since they couldn't find a body. Still, the sobriety of the thought helped her become tranquil again.

"You are the expert on glyphs," The best they had available, at least. "You know as well as I how complicated they can be. I know what it **should** be, I know what it looks like to me, but that can be deceiving. Glyphs are notoriously complex."

The other woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose with thumb and forefinger. This was the longest she had been upright in a few days, and the blood which was pumping hard to reach her head reminded her of this, a throbbing migraine loomed on the horizon.

"Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as you. As near as I can tell, it's what you would expect. The question is: does it work or not? And without knowing what's inside, I can't answer that." She admitted, shooting the blonde woman an apologetic look. "If there were nothing? Great. No problem. But that isn't the case, is it? And we don't currently know what that something is."

Glynda sighed, but did not let her disappointment overrun her prudence. She had expected as much, so it was easier to cope with the lack of an answer. It was the days prior to her being able to bring Winter here that were the most painful. Simply watching and waiting was all she could do in that time, and it was not something that she did well. She had always been a busy woman, but now even with the flurry of activity happening around them, she was very much out of the loop for the most part. And that was something else that made her nervous. She had all the time in the world to worry.

"I see. Well, thank you, in any case." Glynda said after a while to Winter who nodded, understanding that her duty had been discharged. "I'll see that you get back alright." She moved to help the younger woman up, but was waved off as Winter stood up and walked towards the tent's entrance with little trouble.

"Thanks, but I can see myself out. I'm a soldier, not an invalid."

The blonde smiled at this obviously ironic show of bravado. The smile faltered slightly as Winter paused at the lintel, hand reaching out to brush back the door-flap.

"I am a soldier." She said quietly and facing away from Glynda. She turned so that she could catch the headmistress's eyes. "I am a soldier, I'm expected to be able to follow orders, no question. but those two…" She shook her head. "We can't keep relying on them like that. They're just kids. All of them are." She finished, thinking upon her own sibling. Though these days, she had trouble believing that assertion. Her little sister had grown up while she had been away, and there was no going back to the way things were before.

Still, Glynda nodded in agreement as Winter turned her back and disappeared.

Glynda turned around herself to gaze at the unresponsive body laid out in the cot. She walked over to him and drew his hospital gown back over his tattooed stomach and tucked him in with the green-fleece blanket that was folded down at his feet, curtesy of the Atlesian military. Her hand lingered on the three incised marks on his peach-colored cheek, before moving on to the pointy second set of ears which stuck out of his messy blond hair. The triangular, roan colored appendages twitched as her fingers glossed over the tiny hairs.

She sighed.

She had been doing that a lot lately, and was expecting to do so more often for the rest of her life as she went on. Already it was that she felt old, like she had gone from a woman with youthful passion straight into a spinster, skipping the joys of motherhood in between. Now all she could seem to do was pray as her children rushed off to fight a war that they started. It wasn't fair.

She sat down in the folding-chair next to his waist-high cot, and her hand reached out to lay on top of the young man's underneath the blanket. Her eyes started to close as once she was off her feet, the totality of the many days' events, stacked back to back finally caught up to her.

It wasn't fair. She knew that. She would have to let the rest of his peers see him soon, she couldn't keep him sequestered away from them forever. She had hoped that after a few days that he would wake up and she could ease him gently into this new situation. But she had also prevented the other students, his friends, from seeing him until now, and she could not hold back their righteous inquiries much longer. He would be needing them eventually as well. It was sure to be a headache when it happened, but then again, when it came to Uzumaki, what wasn't?

* * *

"Is this about Naruto?"

Yang asked during a pause in her binge, turkey leg still poised perilously close to her open mouth while Weiss also turned away from lecturing the blonde on her eating habits and toward her young leader who had rushed over to their table with apparently urgent news.

Ruby nodded, since in a roundabout way, it was. But she quickly amended that lest the two get their hopes up prematurely.

"Sasuke needs to talk to us." She glanced over her sister's shoulder to the black-haired woman hunched over a book in the darkest corner of the mess tent, knowing she could hear. "-All of us."

Yang and Weiss saw Ruby's serious statement directed towards their aloof teammate. Although professing to be alright, Blake had been careful to keep her distance from the rest of them for some time now, and though she tried to hide it, the rest of her team had taken notice of the fact that she had yet to progress any in the book that she had constantly plastered in front of her face. Yang shrugged absently before popping the turkey-leg in her mouth and stripping the meat off of it in a single go. Standing up swiftly, she tossed the bone over her shoulder where it landed in the waste bin with a muffled thump.

"Alright then, let's go!"

She pronounced cheerily as she threw an arm around Weiss who let it lay there. On their way out towards the hospital tents, the white haired woman bussed her own tray still heavy with a half-eaten bowl of stew, and the two disappeared around the corner.

Ruby turned to Blake then, whom she knew was paying attention because her ears had been cocked in their direction. But she made no move to get up and follow her teammates, so Ruby quietly approached her solitary teammate.

"Blake?" She asked cautiously, but without the timidity which would normally accompany her. She had gained something that night, whereas it seemed her friend had lost something.

"Hm?" She answered out of obligation, but clearly not wishing to converse.

"I really think you should join us." She said with a certainty which made the black-haired woman waver in her stony silence. "I think Sasuke would like it if you were there."

That, however made her snort, and burry her nose even more deeply into the novel that she was not reading.

"Why should I care what he would like?"

"Because he is our friend." Blake felt the force of conviction in Ruby's statement, and felt those silver-gray eyes boring into her like a drill. Which didn't help make her refusal any less painful, but what was the alternative?

"Yours, maybe."

" **Ours**."

And Blake nearly dropped the book as the stone wall of words hit her. She was already shaky from lack of sleep, nightmares plaguing her dreams, but quite of what she could not describe. But this simple one-word promise by the girl who had until borrowed so heavily on the fortitude of others managed to banish those dark thoughts at least temporarily.

"Blake," Ruby began as she struggled to summon the same strength that she knew Naruto would have drawn upon in this instance. "as your captain, I order you to hear what Sasuke has to say." Her tone, which had been as rigid as the blade of her scythe until then became softer. "I think- no, I know it will help."

Blake set down the open book on the aluminum table and looked with eyes that were cowering to her friend and leader who had suddenly grown into an imposing figure overnight. Tears that were poised in the corners of those eyes were blinked away and landed on the open pages, blurring the message.

"Alright."

* * *

"Alright,"

Sasuke drew a deep breath and propped himself into an upright position on his stony mattress. He folded his legs and surveyed the gathering Ruby had mustered in the short quarter-hour. Nearly everyone that meant anything to the two of them were there, spread out on the dirt floor in various seated positions, the majority looking decidedly uncomfortable without a proper chair.

He nodded towards Jaune who had his hand raised like this was some third-world classroom. Now that Sasuke thought about it, it kind of was, and despite the physical discomfort the majority of first and second years students were exhibiting, they all sat eagerly at attention as if hanging on his every word.

"Um, Sasuke? What's this all about?"

Some of the others nodded in agreement, but a select few had gone stone-faced and focused, already having guessed. Sasuke spied the black shadow as it stealthily entered the room and pressed itself into one of the poorly lit corners, yellow slit eyes glowing mutely in the dark. He dared not look directly at it, but his spirit lifted slightly at the presence.

"Things have gotten a little out of hand, as of late." He began.

"Tch, tell me about it." Snapped Coco, who was quickly shushed by an embarrassed Violet crammed between her and the hulking Yatsuhashi in the back of the room. Coco had lost nearly all of her designer clothes and none of them had been let off the grounds so she couldn't replace them. She was letting everyone in on her discomfort, and had even resorted to lifting a pair of, sadly, non-designer sunglasses off of one of the foreign aid workers who wasn't paying attention.

But Sasuke did not show any irritation at this outburst, having already prepped himself for more of the like. Instead, he just stared at her indifferently, and Coco felt herself loose much of the desire to vocally express herself.

"Things have gotten out of hand lately," He reiterate. "and I cannot say that I, nor my partner, have been entirely ignorant in this matter." He closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly. "And while we are not solely to blame for what has happened, the fact that we have kept things we have known a secret for so long have endangered all of you, our friends." He opened his eyes and each could see themselves staring back out from the determined gaze. "Naruto decided that we needed to tell you all, so I guess right now it is up to me."

The cramped room was stuffy and silent, the exhaling of a dozen additional bodies heating it up almost unbearably in the lack of ventilation. Still, no one complained, nor made a sound to interrupt the orator. Until-

"But," Ren did not speak in a very loud voice, but his level tone struck them all with a brief chill. "I'm guessing that isn't all you wanted to talk about, correct?"

Again, Sasuke nodded and closed his eyes.

"In exchange for telling you about this, I need you all to do something for me." Before the grumbling could start, Sasuke held up a hand and his squinted eyes, outlined in gauze, twitched over to the corner which still had the pair of amber orbs glaring at him. "I need you all to believe me, as I tell you something else."

Once again, he was indisputably given the floor.

"I need you all to trust me that what I tell you is true, because it is probably going to be unbelievable. Neither I nor Naruto told you before because, well…" It would be too damn troublesome "we didn't think it mattered, because it was about us, and it shouldn't affect you."

"But now?"

"But now, something tells me that this information has become a factor in the recent attack, and is likely going to pose a problem in the very near future.

"Now I will try to fill you in the best that I can, but I can't speak for Naruto. Some things are for him to tell you himself. Other things, I have to explain anyway, because nothing makes sense without them." Sasuke found that out after it was confirmed that Naruto was a Jinchuriki, everything took on a different meaning in that context. So he offered a silent apology to his friend, because he was going to have to reveal more than a few unpleasant truths to a group already deluged with them.

"And so I ask you to keep some of your questions to the end, because what I am going to start out with is my story- our story, and some things in at are hard to talk about." He gazed around the room, taking in the plethora of looks sent his way, trying not to second guess himself, trying not to regret the thing before it happened.

"So, I ask you all," He met each set of eyes staring intently at him, including the ones hidden in the corner. "as my friends, will you wait to hear me out?"

There was quiet for a good long time as everyone took in the shock of not only the profundity of the statement, but also the fact that they had never heard so many words come out of the Uchiha's mouth in one sitting. The first answer to Sasuke's plea was not a word, but an action. The pair of yellow eyes in the corner lowered until the owner was sitting down on the floor with the rest. Sasuke felt himself breath again.

"Question!"

There was a ripple as several people jumped out of their skins as Nora's hand shot into the air. Sasuke twitched but gestured to the exuberant girl anyway.

"Will there be pancakes? You can't have story time without pancakes!"

He would have cried, but he was fairly certain that his tear-ducts were still repairing themselves. Luckily, he was spared in a most timely of manner as Ruby shot up from her place on the far side of the room and skipped over to the ginger girl with a Styrofoam container in her hand, and a fork in the other. It seemed she was learning to plan ahead. A sure sign of a natural born leader.

"Yay! Thanks Ruby. Oh, do you have-"

Ren reached into the fold of his shirt, new, but green like all the rest, and pulled out a small bottle of syrup, to which the girl simply unscrewed the lid to and dumped the entire contents into the white foam box.

"Well then!" She exclaimed as she stabbed at the contents and held aloft a syrup-soaked bite which made people squirm to dodge the drops flying off every which-way. She then pointed the forkful at the scowling Sasuke like a conductor of an orchestra.

"Get on with it!"

* * *

"How are you holding up? Are you getting on, alright?"

Ironwood cautiously questioned the new headmistress who was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. He was not sure exactly where he stood in the woman's revised regards, and thus wanted to play it safe. She had never particularly enjoyed his presence before, and it was probably doubly so now, what with Ozpin gone and his army currently running about with the permission of Vale's king and council. But he was also the only one who could relate to her on the level that she needed right now, and they both had to work together to hammer out the problems that had popped up since the destruction of Beacon.

At least, that was his hope.

Goodwitch meanwhile was virtually unreadable. She had been doing things very out of character for the regimented woman, though not without good reason. These days everything was different and unaccustomed, and so one could hardly establish anything close to a normal routine in this crisis. Still, she nodded to his question but did not offer much else.

"Has any progress been made on rebuilding the school?" He tried to make an inroad in what he hoped was a cautious manner.

It was obvious he was mistaken when she turned on him then, sending a withering scowl in his direction which made him remember why he had been cautious.

"I haven't even been able to contact the king or his assembly since before the festival." She hissed out. "In case you haven't noticed, these so called 'aid workers' aren't letting us out of their little quarantine."

Ironwood was taken aback by this declaration. He had given no such restrictions to his men, who had been included as part of Atlas's contribution to the cleanup effort.

"What do you mean, 'quarantine'? What do you think this is?" The man asked, genuine puzzlement on his face. Yet despite this profession of innocence, Goodwitch seemed to take offence at his lack of understanding.

"Are you really so foolish, James?" She admonished him in a tone that made him feel like a disaffected schoolboy. "They showed up here within hours of the second blast, after the Grimm and that other creature disappeared." She took a menacing step towards him, and he instinctively took one back. "The only way they would have been able to do that is if they were already on their way. The only way they could have done that, is if they knew what was happening on the ground."

She kept getting closer to him until he his back hit the flimsy tent wall and he nearly fell through. "Glynda, maybe you should keep your voice down, the-" She poked an especially sharp and bony finger in his chest right were the metal hardware securing his robotic arm ended.

"The only way they could have known what was happening on the ground, is if they had access to one of **your** video feeds."

"Are you accusing me-"

"I am saying that either you are incompetent at keeping a reign on your own intel, or you have more holes in your hierarchy than you want to admit. Most likely both. And now because of it, the other kingdoms think we are keeping some sort of secret weapon from them!" Glynda all but spat at him, rage compiled up from worry and guilt that was revolving around the boy who lay still unconscious in the next tent over.

Used to being verbally redressed, it did not take long for Ironwood to relocate his testicles from where they had retreated into his body.

"Now wait a minute, you may not know this, being wrapped up in your own little world for the past few days, but everyone outside of Vale were already wavering in their trust of Ozpin," He brushed her finger aside and took a half-step toward her so he could meet her gaze, though sadly not look down on the intimidating woman. "Trust which is now bequeathed to you, and you have not helped to do anything to reinforce that trust. You have been too introverted since Ozpin, disappeared, and clamming up like that isn't going to help your case."

"What do you mean?" She said lowly, narrowing her eyes.

"That video," Ironwood said, almost a whisper, and Glynda's eyes widened a bit, already fearing what he was going to say.

"The security video at the warehouse. And then the video feed from the tournament. The same costume on the same person. Doesn't help that it looks like a cheap knock-off of the White Fang's. Everyone, including your own kingdom, thinks that you have some shady paramilitary organization at your disposal, handing out justice wherever you see fit. And you know the worst part? You can't even deny it."

Ironwood drew deep breath and took a half step back, pivoting on his heal, leaving the guilt-ridden Goodwitch to contemplate this added hitch. He folded his hands behind his back as he bore a hole into the fabric wall with his stare.

"Of course the appearance of a Legendary Grimm and that Fox-thing didn't help. And I can't even do anything to support you, as you say, because I am not even sure if I can trust my own command."

"So, there you have it." He turned around to once again face the woman who at one moment looked so infallible, now on the verge of tears. "Neither of us can trust our own home lands, and we can't even trust our subordinates because we haven't given them the same benefit of the doubt." Winter Schnee was an indispensable asset to the general. Though he did not show it, he too felt personally responsible for allowing her to get caught up in the whole mess. She was a soldier, and it was her duty to take orders. But still, it was a pitiful thing, not even knowing what you are laying down your life for.

"We don't have anyone else we can rely on now. Ozpin isn't going to miraculously show up in time to bail you out. You've had more than your fair share of miracles lately." The last part was uttered halfway under his breath, but it still bit at Glynda along with the fact that she could neither deny, nor justify its happening. Gods owed her nothing. While she was busy averting her eyes and trying to pry herself away from dwelling on the lack of change in her blond charge, Ironwood approached her.

"Whether you like it or not, Glynda," he rested a hand on her shoulder, and he gave a mental sigh of relief as she neglected to remove it. That gamble could have gone very wrong for him. "we are the only two left. We have no choice but to trust one another."

"AH-HEM!"

There was an obnoxiously deliberate cough from the side of the tent that the two of them were not occupying. There stood a tall and scraggly man sporting a white dress shirt that looked like it hadn't been washed in a few days, and counterintuitively, a black and red silken cape that looked like it had just had the tags removed, and which hung down just past his elbows.

The two of them blinked while staring at the new arrival, equal dead-pan stares giving way to embarrassment which they tried to hide by coughing into their hands and averting their eyes.

Qrow's eye and hand twitched, briefly regretting leaving his weapon by his cot, before he mustered up the entire thimble-full of his dignity and took a deep breath calming himself. It seemed that for once it was up to him to be the responsible adult. He approached the conversation of two and coughed loudly again to get their attention, which the two immediately delivered, shifting back into an air of seriousness.

"But Jimmy is more or less correct," Ironwood flinched at this nickname that had been a theme between him and his now absent friend. "Now, more than ever we can't afford to be complacent, and we can't afford to be in the dark." He looked between the two, and each shared their own chagrin with their expression. "I will be able to sneak out easy enough, but you two are too high profile to be left to roam. They are going to be keeping you both on a tighter leash from now on."

He huffed and folded his arms. "But that's only half the problem. We need a complete picture here, and something tells me that you and Ozzy have been keeping somethings from the rest of us. If we are to be able to carry things out effectively, we all need to be on the same page." This not-too veiled accusation he directed towards Glynda, who to her credit, hardened in preparation to defend both her and her superior's actions. Seeing a possible confrontation about to happen, Qrow raised both of his arms in surrender.

"Look, I'm not here to place blame, that's not going to get us anywhere. _Although_ it might have been nice to have known what I was getting into with that thing back there." Whispering the last part under his breath, but still, hearing it Glynda could not deny its veracity and let it slide. "We just need to know how to proceed from here."

Despite knowing it was coming for the better part of a week did not make the inevitable decision any easier. She had already gotten well into the self-reprimand and guilt for what she was going to have to reveal to the two of them. Telling them would doubtlessly mean placing Naruto back into the center stage. At the moment he was a glass hammer, as well as a white elephant. Too conspicuous, too much danger if he were to somehow get caught, and they couldn't risk using him, not after they had caught a glimpse of the consequences. And it would mean betraying his trust, something she had won at great expense, and if she were honest, something she valued a great deal. Having his trust and his companionship in whatever strange bond they shared, proved to her to be so much more tangible than what the Maiden conspiracy had accomplished in the decade she had been privy to it.

The bond was there, unlike the ghosts they always seemed to chase.

On the other hand, it was going to happen eventually. And these **were** people she could trust, people that were going to help hide him away, and unlikely to take advantage of him for the thing he possessed. There was just one additional problem, though…

She sighed and from the breast pocket of his rumpled shirt Qrow drew forth his iconic flask, finally having retrieved it from a rather difficult Schnee, and offered it to the woman who quirked an eyebrow. But she did not refuse it. After uncapping the lid, she did not so much as sniff the contents or raise a fuss about either the quality or sanity of drinking from his flask. Knocking her head back, she took a healthy gulp of the mystery liquor before passing it on to 'Jimmy'.

The look of disgust came afterword. But, to her credit, she uttered not a single complaint. Now thoroughly lubricated, she began to tell them.

To **their** credit, they did not once interrupt or question the legitimacy of her story as she heard it told from Ozpin, and what she had been able to glean on her own. When she was finished, they did not even raise any questions, but the two of them stood there with their own brand of contemplation etched on their faces.

Qrow finally sighed and took another hit off of the flask that made its way back to him. When he lowered it though, he was surprised when the vessel was taken from him by Glynda again who proceeded to take another heavy hit, flinching less this time as the minty cough-syrup taste hit her tongue.

"Oy, what's up with that?" The unshaven man questioned her, surprised by the normally sober woman's sudden proclivity.

"That," she said as she began to hand the flask back to Qrow, before it was quickly snatched back up by Ironwood, who nodded to Glynda's second drink as his only justification. "is because there's more."

Ironwood nearly choked on his drink, but managed to mostly swallow the cure and cough the rest out while Qrow sent him a dirty look before he turned to the one who had dropped the second bombshell.

"More? What the hell do you mean there's more? That giant Fox-demon thing that I saw isn't the end of it? You can't tell me we got rid of him and the giant Grimm for nothing."

Glynda shook her head and sighed.

"The problem is that we didn't get rid of it. You can't get rid of a Legendary Grimm. That's why this one was sealed in the mountain all these years. And from what we gathered from Naruto, the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox that you fought, is much the same way." She held up one finger which was immediately joined by another. "You also can't forget that the Fox crushed Cinder after she had already assumed the Fall Maiden's powers."

Qrow groaned and tried pulling out his un-cut hair while Ironwood wished he could display the same sort of childish dismay.

"So we have no idea who has the fall maiden's powers now." Ironwood issued it as a statement. "But what about the Grimm Dragon? You said you can't get rid of it, which makes sense if we go with the theory that the Legendary Grimm are foils for the Maidens. But isn't it just possible that when the Fox took out the Grimm and the then Fall Maiden, that it simply took two pieces out from either side, retaining the balance?"

Glynda nodded, but showed no surprise to this logical solution.

"I thought of that. But it leaves out one piece of the equation."

"Which is…"

"The Fox." She stated with a bitter taste on her tongue. Over the past few days, she had had plenty of time to contemplate and grow to resent the other legendary beast on a personal level, as if she too was cursed to be bound to it for the rest of her life.

"But wait," Qrow spoke up, scratching his perpetually day-old stubble. "If I understand what you said before, the Fox isn't even a part of our universe right? It was probably upsetting everything by being here. So, then, now it's gone too, isn't that a good thing? Balance restored and what-not?"

"Yes…" Glynda conceded while rubbing her arm, still clearly a step ahead of the two of them, having spent so much time with the boy who held the thing at bay for most of his life.

Qrow sighed. "Where's the 'but'?"

"When he was reborn, or reformed, whatever the case may be, his body took on characteristics to adapt to living in this world."

"Yeah, saw the new ears when I stopped by, so what?"

Glynda scowled at not having known of Qrow's lurking about, but moved that irritation aside.

"He also has a registerable Aura now. And the seal that was containing the Kyuubi has changed, conformed to something that while is currently beyond our knowledge, should eventually be decipherable and apparently follows the rules of our universe."

"What's inside?"

Both males looked at Glynda expectantly.

"That's just the problem, we don't know."

* * *

In this blackness, absence of light, absence of sense, he didn't seem to know anything.

That, in essence, seemed to sum up all of his life's greatest problems until that point. Not knowing about things was a debilitating disadvantage. One, that he would like to point out, which would not have been solved by further schooling. No, all the most critical questions presented to him lately which had any effect on his immediate health were consternating, difficult, multi-faceted, and worst of all, rhetorical.

Like where the heck was he now, what happened, and why was it still black?

Under the influence of that deliberate haze which accompanied him in the blackness, he had no idea just how long he spent there. It could have been days, weeks, hours, or even minutes. And when he finally woke from this purgatory it was not all at once, but gradually that sensation returned. However, still plagued by that shroud of haze, he wasn't able to recognize it until all of a sudden he could think once again and realized that his eyes had been open for the past few minutes.

So for what had to be the last fifteen minutes or so he had been staring blankly at an off-white ceiling which brought back all sorts of unpleasant memories, until he realized that it was not the perforated asbestos ceiling tiles of the general hospital, and rather a malleable, if stiff canvas roof. That, however, brought up other troubling questions that he would need to get answered.

Again, like where the heck was he now, what happened, and why was it always off-white?

Naruto groaned trying to sit up, finding it difficult using muscles which had clearly atrophied and grown stiff with lack of use. Coupled with the unsupportive, bowed surface of the cot he had apparently been placed upon made it very difficult to accomplish the simple action. He braced himself on the two wooden supports, in between which was stretched the canvas bed, and gently lifted himself into a sitting position, careful not to upset any unknown injury he might have sustained.

He sat hunched over while the blood struggled to reach his head and the black curtains at the sides of his vision receded. He slowly flexed all of his muscles, starting with his toes and working his way upwards, until he was certain that every appendage was at least still attached. Wiggling his fingers, he stared at them unattached, as if they were on someone else's hand, not his own. It was a strange feeling which he quickly dismissed as just another part of the waking up process. He was certain that he had been out for a few days at least, and considering that had never happened before, it wasn't that surprising that he would be unused to the feeling.

He guessed that the feeling is what a lot of people described as being 'helpless'.

He looked up to take stock of the room-

And nearly leapt out of his skin seeing a veritable mob of people silently and patiently waiting on him, their smiles at the moment doing nothing to assuage his fears and quell his beating heart which threatened to burst from his chest.

"GAAAAAAH!"

He would have certainly fallen off the full-sized cot, had a rather firm but gentle hand not kept him from putting a hole in the rather flimsy ceiling.

"Easy there, Tiger." The voice connected to the hand told him. He looked over his shoulder to see the beaming face of Yang giving him a Cheshire smile that told him she had in fact enjoyed scaring the daylights out of him. "Can't have you dying on us after you just came back."

"Was I dead?" He scanned the room slowly, taking in the combined effect of the complete teams JNPR and RWBY crammed into the modestly-sized space, all with heartfelt smiles on their faces betraying a deep sense of relief. If the answer was yes, that would in fact explain quite a lot.

"Well… technically no." Weiss spoke up to his left, and he turned to face the young woman who was waving her hand in a gesture that did not reinforce confidence in her statement.

"Besides," Ruby injected herself into Naruto's vision, cutting off her partner from saying anything else that might potentially upset the recently revived boy.

"You're not allowed to die."

"I'm not?"

"No-pe!" She said, popping the 'P' and lightly tapping his nose with her index finger in a gesture that told nothing of the extreme stress and worry she had been subject to for the past few days.

"That's right." Pyrrha spoke up near the foot of his cot, crammed in between Jaune and Ren who was supporting an especially ecstatic Nora hanging off his shoulders, lack of room necessitating. "You have too many people counting on you." Next to her, Jaune nodded in agreement, adding his two cents.

"Yeah, I'm fighting a lot better, but I know I am still going to need your help to get up to where I should be." His team concurred with his humble self-praise, citing how well their leader did in combat and boosting both blond's egos with their kind words.

"Thanks, you guys." Naruto looked around once more, studying each face that gazed back at him, and basking in the warm feeling that came from each one of them, still not quite believing that it was happening. Part of him wanted to just remain like this forever, but the skeptical part of him knew that such a beautiful wish could not last.

"Are you sure I'm not dead?" He asked them, registering the light chuckles which resulted, but not the concern which some of team RWBY shot his way. "Or, you know, brain damaged or something? I mean, why else would all you guys be here right when I woke up?"

"Don't know about the brain damage thing," Yang quipped up as she ruffled his hair. " 'bit too hard to tell with you, you know?"

Naruto scowled at both the poke at his intelligence as well as the degrading action of the older blonde. He blushed slightly as his scowl was met with the very close proximity of two peachy hillocks. The rosy-hue did not last long, however, as he spied a rather neat vertical line smack dab in the center, still a little obviously pink. He frowned understanding the implications all too well.

"What happened?"

Yang's smile diminished slightly along with the overall jovial mood of the tent, but Ruby quickly stepped up to the plate to keep it from disappearing altogether.

"Well, working backwards, Goodwitch snatched you up pretty quickly after everything was over." She did not want to get into the nitty-gritty of how his unconscious body had been pried from her grasp after he had inexplicably turned up following a massive release of energy from the giant Fox and Grimm. That was sure to come later, though. "Anyway, she made sure you got good medical attention, but your body was apparently pretty weak, so you were in a coma for a while."

"The 'Witch thought it 'best' to keep you drugged up for a little while after you came out of it, for 'safety'." Naruto was a little taken aback by Yang's obvious animosity directed towards the assistant headmistress, noting the invisible quotes she put around some of the words illustrating that she clearly did not agree with the decision. Still, he thought it best to let them reveal the story how they wished, so he did not press.

"So, having been the one to keep you doped up, she knew when you would be waking, and well, we thought you would rather have some friendly faces be the first thing that greets you instead of this ugly thing." Yang summed up, rapping her knuckles on one of the wooden support beams for effect.

Once again, numerous questions percolated with regards to the information he had just been given, but it was not outside of the realm of plausibility, especially for someone like him, so he let it slide. He gave the woman a smile at the last bit, trying to show that he was appreciative of their concerned effort.

"So," Pyrrha began quietly at the end. "How much do you remember?"

His faced scrunched in concentration, conjuring up numerous images in a flip-book with half the pages torn out.

 _A parting of faces, a union with the ground,_

 _Red disappearing into a sea of black,_

 _Fire, so much fire,_

 _Emptiness, the end of the_

 _Beginning, something sinister, the smile_

 _He would never forget he would never_

 _Remember, the ash, the rage the energy, the_

 _Lifelessness, the end of the_

 _Beginning_

Out of all of it, he remembered the feeling of helplessness, that numb, painful feeling he always dreaded, avoided whenever he could. And the Fox, laughing at him for eternity.

Thoughts dwelling on that made him flinch, breath caught and he gulped.

He had released it. How could he have? How could he have survived? What unholy event had transpired to let him live?

Death would have been easier for him, because now he had to question how much his friends knew, for surely they must have found out. It was not hard to miss the Fox in all his might. Would they fear him? Would they hate him? They had to… how were they here now, standing around him like nothing was wrong?

He felt his heartbeat slow, icy dread shot through his veins, he was losing control of his body. He was shaking. Sweating. Palms were clammy. Cold. His heart wasn't fast enough, not enough blood to the brain, panic, painc-

"Naruto!"

Ruby's voice and firm grip on his shoulders calmed him down somewhat, and his body's natural restorative powers did the rest and he was able to reign in the pending attack. He took a few deep, steadying breaths and felt someone rub circles on his back, smoothing out the tension which erupted.

"I'm-I'm sorry." He managed to choke out. He looked up to see Ruby's looming face, rife with worry. And in the backdrop his other friends had looks of concern, and even perhaps a touch of guilt, as if they somehow knew what kind of response the redhead's question would elicit.

"Hey, Foxy, it's okay, you're alright." Yang's voice rang over his shoulder. Another hand laid itself upon his shoulder next to Ruby's, and he met with a pair of amber eyes, and tried not to shiver as he briefly saw a familiar slit eclipse them.

"It's okay, Naruto." Blake spoke softly. "Everything is going to be alright."

Though her entire presence said that she was by far the least concerned about his apparent state, her words, so frank and honest, soothed him. He was immensely grateful to the woman, as he could now see that she had her own demons to confront, and the mere fact of her being here was due to a concentrated effort of will.

"Thanks," He was fine, now. "Everyone, thanks again."

Smiles returned slowly, but not for everyone.

"Naruto," Ruby addressed him once again, in a tone that said she was about to tell him something hard to swallow.

Already anticipating what it was, again, made things no easier for the boy who dreaded this conversation ever since he met everyone surrounding him now. Still, he had no choice but to nod and allow her to continue.

"We know." Ruby said simply. "Everything." She added quickly afterword, realizing all of his fears. He felt his heart strain as panic once again set it and then-

Nothing.

"Everything?"

He looked at her. He looked at everyone, meeting their serious looks one by one before the barest of smiles broke on the tall, sculpted face of Pyrrha. She nodded. Everywhere, corners of mouths upturned slightly.

"Everything."

"And…" He started, still unsure of himself after all this. Still thinking that this was a bad dream, a cruel prank, justice for him for releasing the Fox and he would be doomed to relive the moment they turned on him for all eternity.

"And what?" Blake tilted her head and looked at him with an eyebrow cocked, daring him to continue on the line of thought he was following to madness. "We all have our secrets." He noticed her cat ears, exposed for the first time he could remember. "Yours are just a little…. bigger. But-"

"You're a good person, Naruto." Weiss interjected, in an unexpected display of confidence.

"That's right." Yang slapped him on the back, a little too hard, but it certainly did the trick and stopped him from feeling sorry for himself. "You may be a little dense at times, and just a wee bit too eager to take the world's problems on your shoulders…"

"But what kind of friends would we be if we didn't trust you?" Jaune scratched the back of his head, thinking back on his own little deception, admittedly fairly minor in comparison. "Everyone needs a helping hand once in a while."

"You guys…"

He didn't know how it was possible. He didn't know what he did to deserve such a happy ending. It was everything, too much even, all at once, and every emotion that he had bottled up alongside the seal on his stomach threatened to come flooding out through his eyes.

"We'll always be your friends." Ruby assured him quietly, removing one hand from his shoulder and holding it before him. "Forever, right?"

He smiled and grasped her hand with his own grip, which at the moment felt surprisingly weak and cold. Hers felt like life itself, the mere touch radiating strength.

"Of course."

Her own smile drooped a little once again.

"Now, um, Naruto, there **is** something we need to tell you…"

He knew this was coming. His luck was never this good.

"What is it?" He forced the words out of him, unfortunately unable to ignore them looming over his head for more than a few seconds.

"Well, you see, you would have found out sooner or later, but-"

"You're a cute little kitty!"

Nora had leapt over Ren and climbed over his legs and was now pressing a hand-held mirror in his face. His own blinking eyes stared back out at him owlishly. Not seeing anything immediately wrong, and certainly having no clue what the hyperactive girl was talking about he went through a mental checklist. Eyes? Still blue. Whiskers? Times Six. Blond hair? Phenomenal. Ears? Pointy and movable.

"He's not a cat." Blake spoke up, eye slightly twitching and scowling heatedly at the still grinning Nora who was looking sheepish as she poked her head up from underneath the mirror she was holding.

"Naruto…" Weiss drew a deep breath. "You're a Fox Faunus."

"Yeah, so?"

They could hear the cracking of the wood beams as the tent gently swayed back and forth in the silence that followed that declaration. Eyes all around stared at him wide with surprise, including Nora still lying uncomfortably on his legs who let the mirror drop as arm and jaw went slack.

"Huh." Ren's monosyllabic response was a good understatement of what the collective room was feeling.

"I mean, so what?" Naruto spoke up above the silence, arms crossed and eyebrows knitted as he struggled to see if he was missing something. "I mean, I am a Faunus. What's the big deal?"

Blake sighed, wishing that she could have been as frank with the fact as the blond. The reactions of her friends would not have been half as nonplussed and she would have saved herself a lot of trouble.

"You're not, surprised?" Yang asked, one eyebrow disappearing into her hairline.

"No, why would I be?" Naruto squinted at her. "Is this some kind of a prank or something?"

"No, Naruto, you really are a Faunus." Weiss said, already feeling the normal Naruto-induced headache returning. It was comforting, but also extremely painful at the same time.

"Well duh." He replied rolling his eyes. "Is that all you needed to tell me? I thought it was something important like…" He trailed off as his hand unconsciously drifted over his stomach.

"No, we know about **it.** "

"Oh, okay." A mix of relief and disappointment crossed his face as Ruby clarified that.

"So, how did you guys find out?"

"I told them."

Team JNPR parted as much as they could to let a small, heavily bandaged person press up against the cot. All of the skin on their face and arms was hidden from view by the off-white gauze strips, but Naruto could see the dark brown eyes, almost black, staring back out at him from the sea of white, and the hair which matched this contrast, shockingly dark like the rest of the boy's clothing over his dressings.

"Hey idiot."

Naruto was unsure of what to say for a moment or two, mouth parted and blue eyes blinking, searching for something.

"Who the heck are you?"

A collective groan and a few chuckles made their way around the room, and Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That's Sasuke, moron." The white-haired girl said in exasperation.

"Oooohh." Naruto said with a grin as he rubbed the back of his head. Then something shifted in his face, and once again confusion set in.

"Who?"

There was another silent pause before Yang flicked the young man on the forehead, gaining a cry of surprise for her effort.

"Ha, ha, Naruto. You're still the YANG-ing champion of pranks."

Groans drowned out most of the other sounds in the room except for the slapping of palms to foreheads. But at least two people were not debilitated by the bad pun, nor amused by the apparent joke made in bad taste. Sasuke stared back at his friend with eyes narrow, calculating. And Naruto, in turn, stared right back out at him, searching still.

"Guys, what's really going on?" Naruto asked in a voice barely above a whisper after the groans had died out. "I mean, I know I kept some stuff from you, but why are you now all of a sudden bringing up me being a Faunus? And who is this guy, really?" Naruto gestured to Sasuke who was without anything to say. He was in one move struck cold, an outsider, apparently. He could only wait and see.

"You mean, you don't remember?" Ruby asked tentatively. "About being a shin-o-ninja? About having a fight with Sasuke and ending up in our world?" Naruto shook his head, but looked at Ruby like she had a screw loose.

"What about working for Ozpin, fighting the White Fang and Roman Torchwick?" Blake questioned him, not outwardly showing the turmoil that she too had suddenly billowing up a storm inside her.

"No, that I remember. That happened."

His shocked and skeptical expression slowly morphed into something else. It would have been easy to believe that his friends were playing an elaborate prank on him, he did sort of deserve it after all. But this other person they brought in looked at him with such familiarity that it spooked him. And more than that he felt as if he should remember him. He tried recalling things, trying to establish a linear progression in his mind from his first memory up until a few days ago.

He found he couldn't. The same flip-book came up, moth-eaten and ripe with gaps that his brain supplied answers for, but his mind couldn't remember happening. Every time he though he found something resembling what they were talking about, it slipped from his grasp like gossamer silk in a maelstrom. Soon he too was slipping away, unable to grasp what was happening.

x

Turning and turning in the widening gyre.

x

"What's happened to me?" He asked meekly. Hands clutching his head, fingers digging into his scalp, painfully pressing into his fox-ears which still felt intimately familiar to him.

"Who am I? I'm-I'm Naruto, right? I'm Naruto. There's only one. I'm your Naruto, right guys? Guys?"

x

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

x

He couldn't feel the hand tighten on his shoulder. He couldn't see the tears start to form in silver eyes.

He could only hear the silence.

x

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;  
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,  
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere  
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;  
The best lack all conviction, while the worst  
Are full of passionate intensity.

* * *

 **Ever had a panic attack? They're not fun. I bet a few of you are having one right now. I'm pretty close, too.**

 **Why?**

 **Well, in addition to fearing everyone's reaction to what may be viewed as an awful ploy and horribly used trope, how many of you have noticed the status of the story now?**

 **Let me explain.**

 **A couple of people were suggesting that I tie the story up with the last chapter. I saw the logic in this, but I had promised that I was not just going to peter off like some other authors and ending it sort of felt like cutting off my pecker half-way through a hard-on. Then I began to think about it more, and I found myself agreeing. THIS story should end here. Not to say that I won't pick up where I left off at some other time, but I think this is the best course of action. I have consistently gotten advice to tone down the rhetoric and flowery language, and I have failed in that regard. I partly blame the story itself for this. I had an idea going for this from the beginning and it just sort of continued in the same mode. In order to break this, I feel I need to start from scratch. In a manner of speaking.**

 **Like I say, this story is obviously not 100% done, and a few people are probably cursing me right now for basically dumping you on the ultimate cliffhanger, but I promise I will be writing a sequel. Eventually. Life is just to fucked up for me right now to consistently be able to get in the proper mindset to type. Sucks, right as school is out for the summer, things have to go to shit. But don't worry, nothing grievous, just family matters, so its not fatal. I hope.**

 **Maybe you hope it is? I don't know. Amnesia? SO overused, I know, I know. But I really couldn't see it happening any other way. He gives in to the Fox, comes back, and we expect him to be normal? Hell no. Everyone in this is more fucked up than my similes. And in case you didn't get it, he basically forgot everything pertaining to his world. The Fox? Well, that rectification will come in Part 2. I hope. But hope is always wasted on the hopeless.**

 **The last lines starting with "Turning and turning in the widening gyre" is a poem called "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats. The first context I heard it in was reading Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart . Which I hated. At first. Maybe this poem doesn't quite fit in the overall theme (but I think it does), but just like my opinion on Chinua Achebe's work, I hope that maybe some of you who have finished reading this went outside of your comfort zone but finished it anyway. Maybe someday you can look back and remember it as something other than "that pretentious prick who used a whole bunch of unnecessary words". **

**Probably not. Meh.**

 **Thanks to everyone who made this journey with me. Maybe I'll see you on the next one ;) . I am always willing to chat if you want to send me a PM, but also feel free to blast me int he reviews!  
**

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 **Well? What are you waiting for? You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. Go on. Fuck off!**


	32. There's MORE?

**Yo! S'up peoples? I'm back! Although, technically I never really left. It's you (most anyway) that have left me.  
**

 **It's not your fault (I suppose). You just failed to notice that I have already posted the first four chapters of this story's sequel. I decided that instead of making this a massively unwieldy novel (well, anymore than it already is) that I would break it into parts.**

 **So, if you liked this story and didn't want the fun to end, keep your eyes out for Seekers and Finders. If you've had enough of my cumbersome style and arrogance, than that I can understand. Hopefully we will meet again somewhere down the road anyway. **

**I'll be waiting.**

 **In the mean time, here is Chapter One of the story's sequel.**

* * *

The scrap of mahogany wood stuck up like a sail in the foggy morning dew. The rest of the ancient desk wouldn't be far beneath in the sea of homogenous grey rubble. With a simple flick of her wrist, it would whole once again, no sign that it had ever been separated.

If only the rest of their lives were so simple.

It had always been Glynda's responsibility to mend what was broken within the confines of that scholastic cloister. But that construct of order was gone, now, that bastion of regulation and comprehension finished. All learning from here on would be done out in the open, as raw and bare as her arms felt in the cool pre-dawn, all lessons as chill and uncomfortable as she was now standing there alone and exposed to the elements. Everything that much harder.

And the task now fell to her, alone. Others might try and step up to lend a hand where they could, but ultimately it was the responsibility that she had accepted long ago. Of course, she neither had envisioned nor envied the task ever truly falling to her, as much as she could never foresee a world in which her friend and mentor no longer resided. Nonetheless, she would have to shoulder the burden of mending not only the physical structure, but the shattered dreams and broken bonds which had been forged within. That would be the hard part, and could not be salved so easily.

Still, they were, most all of them, alive and able to do so. Which seemed a Pyric victory with the loss of their headmaster. The path ahead of them all still loomed daunting, a Sisyphean a task as any. Still, they had to start somewhere. And there was precious little more to fall when lying in the gutter.

With a twitch of the wrist like a snapping of a twig in the halcyon stillness, the storied piece of furniture was reassembled before her. Along with the plush emerald seating, it sat incongruously amongst the rubble, waiting to be filled. Waiting for her to fill it. Though infinitely more comfortable than her previous workspace, the smooth surface of the armrest, polished to the grain from constant use felt distinctly out of place to her touch.

She would have to get used to it.

Breathing deeply, she was ironically grateful that although she had reassembled the desk to its previous likeness, she had not managed to retrieve the idiosyncrasies that had plagued it. The chair no longer squeaked. The right-hand drawer no longer hung up when opened fully.

It no longer smelled like him.

That peculiar scent of coffee and musk that one normally associated with old books was no longer present, overpowered by the lingering chalky dust that filled the air, subdued only by the heavy shroud of mist. And so, perhaps his ghost would not linger so in her mind as she fortified herself behind it, steeled herself for taking up his mantle as her own.

It was wishful thinking.

The past was always there, no matter how hard one tried to erase it. Even the young man whose predicament most filled her mind with concern could not escape this fact. Even though he had lost a significant portion of his former life, he was not immune to its persuasion. Not with a living fossil of his memory hanging like a specter on the peripheries of his thoughts.

And here she was, exhuming a relic of her own past, unable to move on without a tangible place to start. Humans were such whimsical creatures that way. She could no more rely on the inanimate object under her calloused palms to guide her in this endeavor than she could count on the crumbled walls to keep the oncoming rain from soaking her.

And yet, where were they without their past? They would never be who they were now without it, and perhaps this was why the universe seemed so adamant about preventing their regression. Everything in it was built on top of what came before. The only way was forward. The only thing to do pick oneself up off the ground. And it was perhaps this simplification that made the situation doable. Even if the forces of the universe had conspired to try and erase their origins, she, as well as that confused young man were still fundamentally the same people, which gave her hope that they could both, that they could all, move on from this. They would have to.

Everyone was equal parts forged from their birth and honed by their environment to be who they were. For the moment they all would have to rely more heavily on the influence of the former. To trust their innate ability to make the correct choices to dig them out of the pit they now found themselves in.

Despite it all, Glynda found herself with faith that they could accomplish it, that they could successfully pick it all up and begin again.

* * *

He was trying hard not to crumble. To be fair, he was doing an admirable job at it, and the shell which showed on the outside bore no cracks nor hint of what turmoil lay underneath. Even from the inside looking out it was hard to be aware of anything anomalous. But there were indeed ripples and waves which reverberated in his mind and trusted memories. Resonances striking an off note which threatened to tear him apart were he not constantly alert.

It was easy to be complacent. Everything seemed so solid, so correct and well placed in his stratigraphic procession. All his memories existed like fine sediments suspended in a silty matrix, making up the layers of his life, one stacked on top of the other. But nowhere in there was this person who claimed so fundamental a role in his chemical makeup. How could he not remember someone who should be a cornerstone of his purpose and existence?

It was far easier, and far more rational to assume what was evidently true, that the person named "Sasuke Uchiha" had never once crossed paths with the one known as Naruto Uzumaki. The way in which he currently saw the world, Sasuke had no place in it. There was no room for the dark and recalcitrant teen in that framework which bore him up.

And yet…

Those uneasy tremors radiated from somewhere. They had a focus, buried and unknown, suggesting a hole never quite filled. Cracks which had never completely mended in whatever mental orogeny had cataclysmically shifted his mind after his epic battle, still floating on the surface of his conscious.

But even though he could not seem to identify all his components, track down all the factors that made Naruto Uzumaki who he was, he could in fact identify that person, as well as what he stood for. And he knew in that instance he would have to continue being the solid rock which shored the rest of his precious people above the oncoming flood.

Though those levies held, for now. And all was calm in the eye of the storm.

And like an obstinate pluton sitting propped upright in the same hospital bed he had been confined to for the past week, he did in fact find some measure of contentment. He let everything be drowned out from his mind and settled it on the dregs of thought. The borderline inane chatter in his room, soothing to an overtaxed psyche, like a steadying drone in an Indian Raga. A song which had been played thousands of times before in never quite the same way.

"…So then Yang brought up that epic food-fight we had, and while we were all laughing as Nora began reenacting it, she accidentally lobbed this wad of mash potatoes into the air. Of course, we were all laughing so hard we were doubled over, so it went right over us and landed square on Goodwitch!"

Naruto smiled softly as he listened to Ruby's account of their group's antics in his absence. He knew that any other time he too would be unable to contain his own mirth at the humorously reenacted story. He had laughed heartily at the others the young woman had regaled to him in the past week of his convalescence. Though this was by far the most entertaining, a somber mood prevailed despite the overarching joviality. It was impossible to banish from his mind, and impossible for any observer to ignore.

Ruby noticed- had noticed, for some time, actually. She had continued talking anyway, as she had for the past several days, hoping to elicit the behavior she had come to associate with her blond friend using whatever manner she could. But when she delivered the climactic twist to her tail and there was no volcanic eruption of laughter, she knew that it had been a futile effort.

Truthfully, she had also been hoping to test the limits of his memory, and with each new tale she recounted she tried to intertwine them with past incidents between them in the hope that her prodding might stir something loose, might help him remember his true long-time friend. Admittedly the two of them had not themselves known one another for long. But for her, every day since she entered Beacon academy had been like the first day of her own life, and she could not conceive of it without a place for each of her friends. This intangible rift which was slowly eschewing their individual paths was intolerable for her, and it was clear nothing would be the same until her blond friend could remember his brother in arms.

Clearly, it was grating on him as well. Although he hid it well behind that unflappable façade that he still impeccably maintained despite his obvious disquiet. It was without a doubt second nature to him now, though Ruby and the others knew he was preserving it strictly for their benefit. He had to rely an inordinate amount on them these days. It seemed so cruelly ironic, that they, being such new friends, now knew more about his fellow shinobi than the young man in front of her whom had spent the better part of his youth alongside said boy.

Though right now, despite that overarching problem, Ruby suspected that there was something else troubling her normally exuberant friend. And if his tranquil tone and lack of response to her antics was not enough of a tip off, the pointed fox ears which drooped on the top of his head were like a lighthouse on this foggy morning.

"That's a funny story, Ruby." He acknowledged automatically. She gave him a frown that was halfway to becoming a pout, and his smile grew imperceptibly.

"You're not even paying attention, are you?" She protested dejectedly, and even though he was still very much aloof, he was present enough to realize he had made a serious mistake in his tone and quickly jumped to correct the false assumption.

"No! No, I'm listening. Believe me, Ruby, I'm here."

"Then why didn't you laugh?" He struggled for a plausible answer for a few seconds, but knew that anything he said would be picked apart, so he instead chose to forward the conversation.

"So what did Goodwitch do?" He imbued his question with as much intrigue as he could muster.

This only served to deepen Ruby's frown, however, as she stared at her folded hands in her lap.

"Nothing." She admitted, finally. And this time the answer came as a genuine shock to the young man.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." She confirmed. "She just froze, wiped away the mash potatoes, and then walked out." She gazed back up at her friend and he could see then the deep concern in her eyes. "She didn't yell at us or anything. She didn't even look at us. It was like we weren't even there."

 _Or she was somewhere else._ Naruto privately surmised, though Ruby seemed to come to the same conclusion when staring at his own vacant look. Too many people these days were spending too much time dwelling on the 'what ifs' in her opinion, and not enough time on the here and now.

Although, it wasn't like the here and now was not rife with its own distractions.

An uncomfortable silence settled on the two of them then. There wasn't even a breeze to rustle the heavy canvas tent, and all was weighed down by the heavy mist which surrounded them and penetrated their very words to make even speaking heavy and laborious.

"So…this is probably it then, huh?" Naruto's unusually croaky voice broke the silence at last, though it was no more welcome a sound than a sharp crack on a frozen lake.

And like anyone perched precariously on that uncertain terrain, neither was willing to make a move at first. As if any action whatsoever would break the spell of contentment they had donned. But with Naruto's most recent question, the possibility of return was already off the table. All that was left would be for one or the other to make the first move towards safe ground.

"Ow!"

Eye's fixated on his upturned palms, Naruto didn't see as Ruby's fist lashed out and rapped him solidly on the head, right in between his two most sensitive appendages.

"What was that for?" He groused, rubbing the spot where no bump would form. Even through whatever memory loss he had been subjected to, Naruto could remember being hit far harder than that. But never in any history real or imagined had it been Ruby who had administered the blow.

She blew him a raspberry which softened the scowls donning both their faces.

"Quit being so melodramatic." The girl chided, arching an eyebrow at the now cowed young man whose hand had shifted from nursing the imagined wound to rubbing the back of his head in chagrin. "It's hardly like we'll never see one another again. Everyone is just going back home for the summer, and we'll be back again in the fall."

"Everyone but me." His hand which dropped next to the other in his lap clenched the rough cotton sheets draped over his legs.

The aloof demeanor that she had adopted to placate the young man faltered somewhat as the crux of the matter was thrust into the open. She had already acknowledged to herself that she would miss all of the friends she had made during her academic year, and though she would be traveling back to Patch with Yang and Qrow by her side, the young man in front of her did not have such a luxury.

"It's not like you're going to be alone, though." She offered halfheartedly. "You'll be with Ms. Goodwitch, and I'm sure she'll be able to help you out." After, of course, she finished rebuilding the leveled remains of their school. But she was certain this could be accomplished in no time at all, especially if Naruto had managed to retain his clone technique. Although, they had not yet been able to test his abilities since his hospitalization and metamorphosis, and the subject was still yet another landmine which had to be skirted around, she was none the less confident of her statement and knew that the veteran huntress would bring him up to speed in no time.

Although, it could also easily go the other way, and Naruto might find himself starting over again from square one. Or, worse yet, unable to perform in any capacity as a huntsman, shinobi, or whatever it was he decided he wanted to work towards now. Although yet unspoken, it seemed that to him this was the most likely outcome, as his downtrodden features had yet to alleviate and the melancholy aura persisted.

The negativity which was ambient in the air was even starting to bring her down. But she couldn't allow it to. Wouldn't allow it to. Even though Naruto had come to embody the resilient spirit of their generation, she knew that he was unable to fulfill that particular role currently, and thus the mantel fell to her.

She wondered now, as she had only a handful of times before, would this have been the case had the two shinobi never entered their lives? Would she be the one propping up the rest of their grade and leading them undoubtedly towards victory in the face of insurmountable odds? Her conscious berated her for such an arrogant thought. But deep within her, a voice reminded her that she was capable of doing so, with or without the help of others.

Even still, she didn't want to have to. She wanted her support. Craved her attachments. She wanted to see them all smile together again.

"Sasuke will be here as well."

The boy flinched at the mention of the name he could only remember as a strange face staring wide-eyed and hopelessly at him as he failed to recognize his visage. In spite of the discomfort, however, his friend pushed on because she knew it was necessary.

"You'll get to know him again." She stated definitively, mimicking the same tone of conviction that had allowed her to watch him jump off a floating stadium. And to both their surprise he was forced to give her the entirety of his attention, as he stared at her like a dog in the Bosnian rain.

"You'll get to know him again. You will." She emphasized. "Even if right now you can't remember him, you will, eventually." She stumbled slightly, allowing some doubt to come across, but just as quickly leveled herself out by pushing forward. "O-or even if you don't remember him from before, you'll become friends again. You're still the same Naruto as before, trust me." She placed her slender hand over his only slightly larger one, for once relishing in the juxtaposition of her pale skin against his tan. It was yet another reminder that changes or no, he was still the same person.

And like any Naruto in any other universe might do, he perked up at the contact, relishing the feeling of another person so near. He couldn't help the small smile which wormed its way onto his still whiskered cheeks as he stared at the innocent union, almost as if it was happening to someone else.

"And you're in luck," Ruby began, giving his hand a little squeeze of assurance. "This Sasuke is **a lot** easier to get along with than he was before!"

Her smile broadened as this pried loose a bark of laughter from the young man who shook his head in disbelief.

"Man, if that broody guy was worse before, maybe I'm better off not remembering!"

Although it was meant in jest, as soon as he said the words he wished them back because the brief reprieve of joviality was broken, and when the hand which still rested on his gave another squeeze, it was more out of desperation than reassurance. More to keep him from falling off the cliff into despair.

"No. You're always better off knowing."

She could not help the memories of her own past which beckoned her from beneath the murky surface, encouraging her to drown herself in their viscous depths. Losing her mother had been hard, harder even than perhaps her blond friend could appreciate. The words if said aloud might have been cruel, but no less true. He had never lost anyone so precious before, and so would not know what kind of torturous experience it was. In a way, perhaps he could understand a bit better now. But she was still adamant in her assertion. She had lost her mother, and she had almost lost Naruto. But never would she have ever wished that their time together had been forgot.

Somehow the young man seemed able to grasp his mistake and the internal turmoil he had precipitated. Perhaps though the physical memory of his past was lost, the emotional memory still lingered somewhere in the reptilian brain, and reminded him of the other types of pain that were still foreign to his experience.

"Sorry Ruby. I didn't mean it." He shifted in his cot and reached out with his other arm to grasp the young woman's shoulder. Unconsciously his hand began gentle ministrations, trying to steer her away from dwelling on the negative thoughts which still loitered unwanted. She offered a reluctant smile but little else.

"I know you didn't." She assured him, but he still looked guilty that his sour mood had mired the two of them for so long. He shook his head, admonishing his own behavior.

"Yeah, but I'm still sorry. Here you are spending days on end talking to me, trying to cheer me up, and I've been nothing but a downer. That's not right, and that's not who Naruto Uzumaki is." By the end of his proclamation his subtle grin had sprouted teeth, and Ruby felt her own mood brighten by the sudden influx of energy.

"Hey, you know what?!" He proclaimed suddenly and threw back the covers, causing the crimson girl to jump in surprise as she found the previously bedridden young man upright by her side.

"Let's get out of this dreary place. I think being cooped up in here for so long has been really messing with my head." As she looked on in surprise at his manic outburst, she couldn't help but agree. Could not help but be swept up with the sudden power surge which electrified the whole tent space and sent tingles through her spine.

"You guys may not be able to stay here while the school is being rebuilt, but you're not leaving right away. Let's get the whole gang together and do something fun!"

"But wait, Naruto! Goodwitch said that you're not supposed to leave the hospital tent! I gave my word that I'd keep my eye on you!" The words spewed out of her mouth in rapid fire without pause for thought, else Ruby might have found herself in shock that **she** was trying to be the responsible one.

"You will be keeping your eye on me." Naruto winked at her and the ambient temperature in the tent rose perceptibly as she found herself swept up in his arms. Something which she didn't remember him being able to do before. But in her paralysis of everything but her sputtering mouth, she could not help being ushered along in his frenzy. Though this was indeed like the high-energy young man she had been trying to wean out for the past few days, she only now remembered the crucial detail that once released it was exceedingly difficult to corral this more lighthearted aspect of his personality.

"Wait! What are you going to do? If Goodwitch finds out your gone we'll get in trouble!" It might have seemed odd that after all they had just been through that the new headmistress would be such a prominent concern in her reasoning. They had only recently learned that there were things far more fearsome than the stern woman. But so it was, for Goodwitch was fearsome in her own right. And neither had she given them any reason to assume she had become any more lenient in the interim. Though this did not disturb her blond friend, either.

"Eh, from what you say, Goodwitch seems to have enough on her plate to keep her busy for a while. I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we stepped out and got some fresh air. Besides, if it comes down to it, you can just blame the whole thing on me. Come on, Ruby! Let's go find the others. If this is going to be our last day together I want to make the most of it!"

He whisked her out of the tent so fast that the whole canvas complex became a blur around her. Had she been in the right state of mind her semblance would have easily compensated for the sudden acceleration. But even though she was outwardly protesting the misadventure that was sure to come, the young girl with normal knees which lingered deep inside her was giddy with delight, and all too content to go along for the ride.

* * *

"G-good morning Glynda."

The greeting that he had prepared several great strides away from the woman's workspace had caught in his throat as soon as he announced his presence and threw back the heavy tent flap. It might have been the stalwart gaze she directed his way, eyes like x-rays seeing right through his core and probably doing him untold amounts of harm. Though it also could have just as easily been the iconic desk she had moved into her ersatz office and seated herself behind, the object being an uncomfortable totem of his late friend, and still a sore spot between the two of them.

But it was more than likely a combination of the above, an uncharacteristic wispy smile adorning the statuesque woman's face, so reminiscent of the desk's previous owner that it crossed his chilled mind that he was staring at a ghostly possession of his lost friend.

"Good morning, General."

Glynda, meanwhile was quietly celebrating her minor victory, relishing in the apparent effectiveness of her psychological tactic which had been but a mere afterthought upon her redecoration. She had to hand it to her former superior, in retrospect. All those times she had grated on his aloof and blasé attitude had been worth it to see its result from the other side. His former carriage being so diametrically opposed to her own disposition only seemed to enhance the change's effects, throwing even the unflappable Ironwood off his footing.

The military man meanwhile tacitly noted the formal rebuttal he had been issued. He had been under the impression that they were well beyond first-name basis by this point. To him, it indicated a hostility to his presence, or at the very least a more than healthy skepticism. Which, if he was being truthful with himself, was probably more than warranted given the recent happenings.

He coughed into his hand to clear his throat and to try and give himself a brief minute of reprieve from her disarmingly chill gaze.

"I just wanted to let you know that I have sent my request in to high command to have our forces stay through until the fall to provide support." He tactfully decided not to draw undue attention to the change in décor. Less for the sake of celerity of the conversation and more for his own mental soundness. It was hard enough to be in her presence alone, with her being such an avatar of his fallen friend. He was not sure what he would do if she started adopting his mannerisms.

Glynda hummed quietly, and Ironwood was glad to note that there did not seem to be any coffee cup on the tabletop. The thoughtful pause which would normally encompass an elongated sip was yet another idiosyncrasy he could live without.

"Ms. Schnee, along with the other students is going to be returning the day after next to her home in Atlas." She stated ponderously, almost as if musing to herself.

The General let out a breath he did not know he had been holding, grateful that he seemed to receive an implicit agreement on this previous point of contention. Thankful a heated argument did not seem forthcoming, he nodded shallowly without removing his own attention from the blond woman who still sat with arms steepled on the ebony-grained piece of furniture.

"Yes, Captain Schnee has also fully recovered from her injuries and will be accompanying her sister." He folded his hands behind his back as his stance fell at ease, no longer fearful of contention.

"Good. You will be accompanying them as well."

"What?" His knees locked and he blinked at the sudden yet easy shift in the conversation, like a fluid repost from an experienced fencer, the woman had thrown him a hook which lashed around his lowered guard to slap him in the face.

"And you'll be taking all of your forces with you."

Any austerity and professionalism that he had been holding back out of personal respect for the woman was banished from the tent at this proclamation, and Ironwood rallied his obstinacy as he prepared to once again duke out this continually rehashed point. His whole intention was to do this as a favor to the memory of his compatriot, and was both hurt and insulted that the woman continued to be so mulish. But the newly promoted headmistress likewise did not seem to want to go over the same moot point but was determined to have her desires conceded one way or another. And rather than give into the insanity of this exercise with the pigheaded man, she came prepared with a change of strategy.

"You will be going back to Atlas." She stated factually and evenly as she stood up, still placing the solid piece of furniture between her and the now highly irritated man. "The others have already left, and without the presence of aid workers your army is nothing but an occupying force."

"You sent back the aid from Mistral and Vacuo?" He gapingly questioned. Having not heard anything of the sort come to his attention was disturbing. It meant that there were still some serious issues within his chain of his command, or that the woman before him had gone through great pains to keep it a secret from him until just now. Either would be bad, but he could not fathom a reason for the latter. On the other hand, neither could he understand her motivations in the first place. "What were you thinking?"

Glynda took the chastisement in stride, never letting her character break. She was the picture of calm, unnerving with the placating smile and hands clasped nonchalantly behind her back.

"With the students heading home we have more than enough resources to get by." Three students and herself did not consume much, either energy or comestibles. And she herself was enough to head the reconstruction effort. Even working on her lonesome, it would not take her the whole summer to accomplish this. "The city of Vale is more than capable of providing for the school and whatever staff choose to remain."

"But what about safety? You can't take on everyone by yourself." He did not have to elaborate on 'everyone', though himself wondered if it included more than just Salem and her cohorts these days. He did not even want to mention the two shinobi that would in all likelihood reside there in the interim as well. As it stood, he was not sure if they counted as an asset or a detriment.

"We will be fine. Of that I can assure you."

Rather than take offense at his apparent lack of faith in her abilities, as her response might have been, Glynda merely held a hand out to quell any additional argument that might have been brewing as Ironwood duteously held his stifled comments at the disarmingly pacifying gesture.

"Beacon is no longer at risk." The hand that she used to shush him gestured to the flimsy wall that was all that existed between them and the continued presence of the ruin that was once the proud academy. "Vale is no longer at risk. The school is gone. The Fall maiden is gone. Ozpin is gone."

He felt himself wince at the mention of the name. It was unbecoming of a soldier to be effected so, but he couldn't help it. It was the first time between the two of them that the matter had been put so bluntly. Even when a statement had to be provided to the proper authorities, they had listed him as missing rather than the definitive. Which was as true as anything, because they had yet to sift through all the rubble to find a body. But to put him in the same breath as the others was to condemn him to the same fate, and it wasn't something he was quite prepared to hear that moment.

But Glynda had had time to come to terms with it, and she was confident that she understood her friend and colleague far better than the man in front of her. Rather than become upset as she had in previous iterations of this conversation, she resolved herself to reconcile the legitimacy of his position. That did not mean that she had to grant any concessions, however. And in fact, it only strengthened the necessity that she have her way.

"And I will be training Naruto and Sasuke."

"You can't be serious!" Without his noticing, the volume of his voice escalated and he quickly shushed himself, aware that there was but minimal dampening between the flimsy walls. "Those two are still more than likely their targets." He had resolved to trust their good intentions for the now, but still felt that their usefulness was minimal, and the benefit of keeping them around dubious.

"We don't even know if Uzumaki is still capable of another such feat." Add to that the fact that it was apparent he couldn't even seem to control the power that he may or may not still possess was just too many variables for the veteran soldier.

"No, no. It doesn't make sense." He shook his head as he confronted the woman who was slowly making her way to his side of the room, still not showing any signs of perturbance, and in fact not even looking directly at him. Rather her unfocussed gaze looked through him as if he wasn't even there, as if he was merely a piece of her conscience playing devil's advocate. Her mind had already been made up.

"I let Ozpin have his way before, and I retracted my forces." He struggled to meet her on an even playing field and use his friend's name as his own weapon, as he had no other authority here. "I'm not going to make that same mistake again. I'm not going to do something ineffectual. It just doesn't make sense. You're still going to be a target, and now you're just more vulnerable." He threw his arms up in exasperation, and to highlight the temporary structure around them.

"It was one of your ships that crashed into Amity Coliseum." She reminded him offhandedly, not seeming to want to incur any spite, yet he flinched none the less. "Some of your forces were here, and they still did not manage to prevent the attack." He had to admit that much, though he seethed quietly, more upset with his forces' own blunder than with having it used against him.

"You are right, though." He stopped glaring holes in his shoes and refocused his attention back on Glynda who had ended up on the right side of the room in the midst of her calm pacing, fiddling with some trinket on the edge of a coffee table which pushed taut against the fabric of the wall. She looked back at him over her shoulder.

"It doesn't make sense. Doing things half-heartedly is ineffectual." She stopped playing with whatever object had been her focus and turned back to him. "Right now it is Mistral, Vacuo and Atlas that will be in their sights. Not Vale." Not some downtrodden woman and two child soldiers who were as broken as the structure they were supposed to live in.

"Right now, your country needs you and your expertise. We were blindsided. Now we can be sure the attack is coming, and we can bet that we won't be expecting from where. **You** still have internal problems that you need to deal with, and deal with soon."

The man sighed and screwed his eyes shut in resignation. It was as grating as it was obvious that she was aware of his selective ignorance. He had done his best to patch the security holes in his command since Ozpin had informed him of the breech, but it was evident that the problem was far more endemic and harder to stamp out than he realized. He had been privately holding out hope that it had been Ozpin himself that had caused the hiccups, if only to prove a point to his old friend and sparring partner. But with his demise, it was clear this was not the case, and he had a far more serious problem that required his full focus of administration. He reluctantly acknowledged it with a somber nod.

With his attention focused elsewhere, he didn't notice as she crossed the room to the other side, to a mirrored coffee table adorned with its full complement. Silently Glynda poured some of the thick, readymade brew into a dainty porcelain cup which belched out a healthy plume of steam and filled the room with a woody and spiced aroma. Raising the cup decorated with arabesque blue flora intricacies to her lips, she let Ironwood bear the full brunt of her sly smile over the peaked rim.

"Don't worry about us, James. I think you will find us survivors to have a few tricks still left up our sleeves."

* * *

"I would think you of all people would know better than to disturb me when I'm trying to read."

She was fairly certain that she had put up all defensive postures prudent to securing herself a moment alone to her thoughts. Holed up in a dimly lit corner in the back of one of the storage tents, she evoked about as much approachability as a sea urchin. She had carefully avoided wandering into public settings for days now, scrounging rations from the plenty available in the tent so that she did not have to trapes into the mess and find herself on the opposite end of a heavy conversation.

"It is kind of hard not to when you spend **all** of your time reading." The interloper to her peaceful meditation drawled out, before amending his statement. "Or at least, pretending to."

The person who now approached her had patently ignored all the obvious signs and clearly sought her out in her hidey-hole. He had come straight in and made a beeline for her corner, minus twists and turns in the corridors made from stacked supply crates. She had no doubt that he already knew she was there, and probably had for some time.

She sighed and closed her book soundlessly before meeting the intruder's gaze for the first time since he had approached, her amber eyes glowing like bubbling magma in the dimly-lit space. Smoldering lumps of coal stared back, equally unflinching.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" Being one of the persons she least wanted to see right now did nothing to soften her tone. That was done consciously, and with great care, to not sound quite so irritated. It wasn't that she continued to hold a particular animosity toward the teen. She just didn't really want to converse with anyone right now.

"Is it so hard to believe that I just wanted to talk?"

She snorted, the loudest sound she had made in several days.

"Let's see, you actively seeking someone out because you **want** to? I think I should be worried, or at the very least, highly suspicious of your motivations."

He took the barb with a smirk, uncaring if the vitriol was real or feigned.

"Be either, both, if you want to. May I?"

Her response was at first limited to the silent and subtle glow that emanated from her bastion of darkness and solitude. After a beat, she sighed and stepped marginally into the scant light which emanated from the room's singular bulb strung in the center, and what little crept in from beneath the fabric walls. She gestured a careless wave to a crate within reach emblazoned with a faded red stencil reading: 'Water, Canned, Potable'.

Sasuke humbly accepted the offer and sat down within arm's reach of his fellow raven-haired student, the two staring parallel holes into the stack of crates that filled the center of the cavernous temporary building.

"So, what's up with the sudden personality shift?" Blake questioned, continuing on the same vein, still not entirely trusting the younger man to have come without ulterior motive.

"I could ask you the same." He quipped back nonchalantly. To her ire, if the narrowed slits opposite to him was any indication. Though she did not say anything to the contrary. She had indeed been more recalcitrant since the culminating battle several days prior, undoing what seemed to be months of acclimating to social norms.

In some ways, the impersonal youth next to her seemed to be doing better in this regard. Further proving this supposition to be true, he took the high road and answered her previous question without further ado.

"I thought at first I would get along better with people who were more like me. More reserved. More serious. Quieter, at least." He sighed, pulling his hand out of his pocket and scratching his cheek absently. "Turns out, it's a pretty miserable thing. Might as well be alone."

"And is it really such a bad thing to be alone?"

There was a spark of deep and serious contemplation which flashed across the young man's face, so clear to her despite the dimness, and so unusual to his own norm that she had no trouble reading him. There was a moment when he honestly weighed her question, though he doubtlessly had many times before. But it was only a moment, and then it was gone.

"Yes. Yes it is."

She thought deeply on his answer, and the pause which said perhaps more.

Did she pity him? He had told them all their story in fine detail and without shame. It was a disclosure meant so that they might understand their motivations, make the two otherworldly teens seem more down to earth and comprehensible. Howeve,r it only served to highlight their differences, showing how much the two endured in their short existence made the both of them seem all the more heroic, their tragedies all the more sorrowful, and their fights all the more bloodthirsty.

And now once again they had to endure through a divine intervention set to tear them apart. It was assured that Naruto would never go the path alone. Such was his grace of character. But what of the one seated next to her? Had he endeared himself to their group as much as he would have liked to suppose, or was he riding on the wake of his gregarious friend who no longer remembered him?

No, she decided. She did not pity him. She had thought herself alone for so long too. Alone in her struggles for equality. Alone in her choice to take the higher road when violence was clearly not the answer. And alone again because of that decision. She was wrong in that thinking, though. She was never alone until now. Deprived of love, and now, deprived of hate, she had nothing. No one to empathize with how empty she now felt.

No, she decided. She did not pity him.

Nor did she envy him. They all had their own, unequal struggles. But did that mean they had to go them alone? Just because one struggled, did one have to be miserable to feel justified?

"I hated my brother." His voice was low as he looked at his own palms, callouses etched through countless hours of dedicated training, all for the sole purpose of avenging said kin. She knew this. He had told them of his desire to kill his only living family. She did not think it bared repeating.

"And, in some ways, I loved him."

She was surprised, eyes widening marginally in silent show of it, though she did not know why she should be so. She should have expected it. How could he not help but love someone so integral to his life? It had never occurred to her before, mainly because it wasn't conveyed in his tale. Not directly, at least. But now in so intimate a setting, she could see how much truth there was in that simple contradiction. Love and hate were the same face in different light.

"And I'll never get the chance to see him again." His hands clenched, knuckles turning all the paler and fingernails dug into his meaty palm. "I'll never be able to kill him. Never be able to avenge my family. Never find out why!" His voice rose to a smothered yell, thunder way off over the horizon. Bloody rain dribbled from his palms.

But the storm just hovered there on the horizon, before it dissipated, allowing the scattered light from the moon shine once again on the rolling hills. Blake watched him in silent awe, as one would watch a real-life torment of nature which she had only narrowly escaped, static electricity still tingling on her skin.

His hate was something impressive. Palpable like that charge before a lightning strike or the smell before a heavy rain. Only more intense. Deadlier. Stifling. But what she found all the more impressive was his restraint of this powerful emotion. The way he overcame his nature.

His hands unclenched and he watched the rivulets of blood dry up and damn the shallow creases in his palm. He looked over to see Blake had scooted away from him intuitively, staring at him wide-eyed like a startled cat. Her own fingernails had dug their own trenches in their wooded bench. He straightened slowly, trying not to startle her. He couldn't if he had tried, she was so caught up in her own musings.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, turning away abashedly.

"Don't be." His words had stirred her from her own conflict. Who was she not to indulge him in his brief lapse of control? She dared not even face her own feelings on the matter. That was why she had holed herself up in the loneliest corner of the whole encampment, burying herself in the texts which she had read over and over again. The most dog-eared tomes and wrinkled paper-backs keeping her company, making sure that she did not have to think and so she could lose herself in fantasy.

"You're strong." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard her, and understood the quality of strength she was talking about. "Stronger than I am." Now it was she who could not meet his gaze.

"It takes time. I've been at it a lot longer. And there are times…" He did not need to elaborate, she had witnessed just such a time firsthand. If she had been in her right mind, she might have been concerned about attracting Grimm. But they had made themselves scarce ever since Naruto had unleashed his own potent hate. That, or there simply weren't any left after the abject destruction he had wrought.

"I'm still working at it." He chuckled half-heartedly. "Probably will be for some time."

Their conversation had gone on for some time as well. The light from underneath the paper-thin gaps in the walls had turned crimson, and even Blake was having a hard time reading the expression on her companion's face. But what was not said in the scant words traded between them was said in the pregnant pauses between the hands of the clock.

"I imagine…." He was startled, not by the words which pierced the darkness, but by the warm hand which lay gently on his shoulder. "…It's easier having someone to help."

He felt himself flinch under the touch, so foreign to his senses. But not his sensibility, for he found he did not want to break the contact just yet.

"Yeah…" But he stood up anyway, letting her hand slide off back to her side. "It was."

He had made both grand strides and teeth-gritting crawls to inch his way into normalcy. Against him though was time, years of soloing his arduous climb. Naruto had managed to drill his way into Sasuke's appreciation, but now that the bond, his safe handhold, was ripped from his grasp. He was no longer sure that he could begin ag-

"Ow!"

He rubbed his head from where the spine of the book had rapped him. More out of shock than anything else, the well-loved text nonetheless left its mark, with little more damage to its worried spine than the rising welt on the back of his skull.

He turned and shot a glare at the twin slivers of harvest moon, laughing at him in the darkness. Had the woman been prone to toothy grins like his former cohort, he could imagine a Cheshire grin also hanging disconnected in the space beneath.

"Don't be so melodramatic." He heard her sing-song voice whisper out to him. "You're never alone."

"Tch."

His scoff held no scorn, and he was sure that even now she could see the heartened smirk on his lips as he turned around and shoved his hands in his pockets, glad that as a ninja he could find his way even in the abject darkness. He had memorized the labyrinthine path on the way in so there wouldn't be any surprises-

"Hi!"

Beginning as a stumble, his left foot fell into a defensive stance as his right palmed a kunai. Prudence luckily shone through even in the absence of light, and he stayed his hand, kenning to the familiar voice.

"Nora?"

He could only just make out the familiar grin hovering about eye-level in the darkness, the ginger hair almost blue against the black background.

"What are you-"

"Tag."

He felt her finger grace the tip of his nose accompanied by a sudden vortex of wind sweeping away from him, drawing her faint call behind along with a cacophony of overturned supply crates.

"You're it!"

He cringed at the volume of her call, somehow even louder than the dozens of stacked towers tumbling down throughout the near sightless room, blocking any exit he had potentially memorized and making him reluctantly cough as the dust settled in the enclosed space.

"Damn." He swore softly to himself as he came to terms with the totality of his situation. He would need some help if he didn't want to find his way out by brail. But he knew of someone who could navigate the foreign darkness.

"Blake? Can you give me a hand?"

But there was no response. He blindly groped back where he had left the other woman but turned up nothing but splintered wood. She had taken her book along with her in her.

"She's gone, isn't she?" He asked, to no one in particular. But despite not knowing when she left him all alone in the storage tent, despite not knowing how long it would take him to disengage himself from said tent, despite not knowing how or why the bubbly girl chose that particular moment to make him part of her inane games, he did know one thing.

Whatever it was, it was probably Naruto's fault.

"Troublesome."


End file.
